Fall of the Titans
by The Shy Scorpio
Summary: Their first meeting results in the two who before never gave the other any thought, now being incapable of not noticing each other. While Eren deals with issues concerning his gang and others Mikasa struggles to deal with family issues. As they get closer somewhere along the road the issues they both hold individually become something that's shared between them. Modern day AU
1. Surprises

**I never actually wanted to make an AOT fanfic but as I looked through the AOT fanfictions I literally couldn't find a single Eren x Mikasa fic, much to my surprise I think most AOT fanfictions feature Yaoi. So I had to make an Eren x Mikasa fic because I always wanted to see one. This AU will feature gangs, violence, drugs, sex, and sexual themes. Might start off slow as I'm sure all my fics do** , **things** **will get real later, you've been warned.**

 **Disclaimer** **I do not own Attack on Titan, any of it's characters or anything associated with the Anime or Manga.**

 _Surprises_

Eren walked down the street gazing longingly at the stars wishing he could touch them and perhaps understand all the wild mysteries of the universe.

It was past midnight and the streets were deserted as was usual for his star gazing routine.

Eventually he found himself laying in a field in a public park gazing up at the sky as he contemplated just falling asleep outside. It felt good out and he really didn't see any reason why not.

Eventually he ended up doing just that not even knowing he'd been tired in the first place.

He woke up feeling a sharp pain in his side sitting up abruptly and clutching at his left rib cage as he swore and promised pain to whoever kicked him.

"Daamnit!?" A female voice said to his right causing him to turn as he felt his anger rise even more knowing he couldn't hit a female. Especially if she only tripped over him and the kick wasn't intentional.

"Next time watch where the hell you're going will you!?" He yelled scowling at the young woman as she was standing up.

Her look of puzzlement turned into a frown of irritation as she returned the glare and stood up fully gazing at Eren with the distinct air of someone who thought themselves to be above him.

"How's about you don't lay on the ground in the middle of the park at night time like a homeless person!" She bite backing causing the boy to frown and wonder just who the hell she thought she was.

"It's a public park isn't it!? I don't see anything wrong with sleeping under the stars if that's what suits me!"

She paused for a moment seemingly taken aback by his comment as her face developed a look of surprise.

"You were out here star gazing before you fell asleep?" She asked sounding skeptical.

He paused for a moment still upset, but surprised at her sudden shift in demeanor.

"Yea...I kind of walk around at random to gaze at the sky just about every night. It gives you a sense of calm and wonder you don't really get from anything else." He said thoughtfully looking past her towards the skies above.

The girl looked surprised at his reply but didn't comment further. She began to bend over to pick up her hand bag but found the boy beat her to it.

"Hey!" She shouted thinking he'd been about to rob her of her things.

"Relax! I'm just doing the gentlemanly thing!" He said extending the bag towards her.

She looked surprised again for a moment before she took the bag and turned away.

"Thanks." She said a bit reluctantly.

"Don't mention it." Eren offered in a dismissive tone and the two were silent for a moment.

"What are you out here for so late anyway? Isn't it dangerous for a girl to wander these parts of town on her own after midnight?" He asked curiously causing the girl to look at him with some suspicion.

"I can take care of myself." She said without looking at him. "We go to the same school don't we? I've seen you before."

He wondered why she changed the subject. The sad look that flashed in her eyes for a moment wasn't lost on him but he decided not to pry into her life.

"Actually I think we do, I've seen you in the halls and the cafeteria before. Your the girl who's always by herself or with that other nerd girl."

She turned to face him frowning again.

"And you're that dumb guy who's always shows up late to school." She said a lot more fiercely than she'd meant to.

She began regretting it when he turned to her looking very angry. She realized who exactly he was and that they were likely alone in the vast park with no one to assist her should she need help.

He must have noticed her change in demeanor she thought because after she'd taken a step backwards the rage dropped from his face and he looked away rubbing the back of his neck as she thought she saw a flash of guilt in his eyes.

"I guess you could say that, but don't expect to get away with saying it again. Sorry if I offended you by calling you and your friend a nerd. I didn't mean for it to come out that way." He apologized surprising the girl.

"Uhm.. that's okay.." She said looking at the boy curiously.

She'd heard all about him in school from kids who gossiped too loudly when they were around their other friends who liked to gossip.

Eren Yeager, the boy who'd beaten up three kids on the wrestling team at once for calling him stupid and thinking they could get away with it because he was alone. He had a reputation for thrashing anyone who either called him stupid or tried to pick a fight.

The group he hung around with at school were good enough but that couldn't be said for who he was rumored to hang around outside of school. He was apparently a part of a gang with three different sects. The group he was apart of called themselves the scouts if what'd she'd heard was right.

Apparently the scouts were the hardest part of the gang, they were basically it's soldiers. They fought other gangs over turf and basically just made it their mission to make like harder on other gangs, specifically the Titans.

Then there was the Garrison sect which was basically made up of a number of drug dealers and soldiers that held down the gangs turfs. The last sect of the gang called themselves the police and no one really knew what they did, although it was weird they'd actually reffer to themselves as police.

Eren himself was known to be not only unapproachable at school but it was said he was a real jerk who usually hurt people who tried to come around him without having anything to offer him or his friends. Strangely enough she'd kicked him in the stomach by accident and called him stupid all in one hour and he hadn't laid a finger on her.

He even apologized for insulting her and her friend.

"What's with that look?" He asked leaning in and eyeing the girl curiously causing her to back away and wave her hands in a none threatening manner.

"I-its nothing! I was just thinking you aren't as bad as the rumors make you out to be."

He chuckled at her comment before looking at her with a bit of mischief in his eyes.

"What...you think I'm the boogey man like everyone else in that school?" He asked smirking lightly and moving closer towards her.

She backed away nervously and took a moment to think over her response before shaking her head.

"Honestly you're not so bad." She said unsure if that statement was one hundred percent true or not.

"Although you may be a bit of a jerk, you have the qualities of a gentleman as well." She said resisting the urge to laugh as his smirk was replaced with a look of surprise.

He looked unsure of how to respond for a moment before he grinned lightly.

"I guess know you're not so bad either. Although for someone who calls me a jerk I don't remember getting an apology for waking up to a surprise foot in my rib cage."

Mikasa looked surprised for a moment not expecting that comeback.

"Well you didn't exactly give me a chance to apologise before you started yelling at me." She defended looking at him pointedly.

"Doesn't mean you can't apologise now though." He said as his smirk widened slightly.

She frowned upon realizing he really didn't care about an apology. He was just toying with the idea of getting one for his own amusement.

"I don't recall you apologizing for yelling at me before I could apologise." She said crossing her arms and looking at him expectantly.

Eren's eyebrow rose as he hadn't expected that kind of response. The brunette in front of him was a different breed than the usual ditzy girls who went to his highschool.

"Well then in that case I'm sorry." He said not bothering to hide his smirk.

Mikasa's stern expression fell at the boys reply. She'd been expecting anything but an apology and a playful smirk to follow it up. Eren Yeager was a different kind of person than you'd think based on the rumors you heard about him floating around.

Her brows furrowed a bit as she realized he apologized so she really didn't have any excuse as to why she shouldn't anymore. He'd played her into his hand just like that and then he had the nerve to smile about it. She frowned and turned her head not wanting to give him the full satisfaction.

She mumbled something under her breath and Eren placed a hand to his ear and remarked that he couldn't hear her. She spoke a little louder ensuring that he could hear her clearly this time but the boy only feigned ignorance causing her to frown indignantly as a bit of heat rushed towards her neck and she turned to walk away.

"Hey!" He said grabbing her wrist before she could take two steps.

Mikasa turned around and grew a bit nervous upon seeing the serious look on his face.

"I was just messing with you, but you really shouldn't be out here by yourself so late." He said looking at his watch and holding it up for her to see it was 2:09am.

"I should be heading home to get some real sleep before school tomorrow. I should walk you home too beforehand. Doesn't matter how strong you are, sickos usually travel in packs." He said looking at the girl questionly still curious as to why she was out here.

"No...that's fine. I'll be okay. She said looking down as her eyes grew sad again.

Eren inwardly sighed not wanting to pry but figuring she was having problems at home.

He sat down on the grass where he'd previously been sleeping and laid down looking at the sky once again. Mikasa looked down towards him in puzzlement at his action.

"I thought you said you were about to head home?" She questioned knowing the park couldn't be the home he spoke of.

"I was, but I'm not going to just leave you out here by yourself knowing there's a lot of scumbags in the world these days. You obviously aren't ready to head back to your house yet so I'll just kick it here with you till you are, or till the sun starts rising and I know you'll be safe out here on your own."

Mikasa's eyes widened and she had to replay his words in her head unable to believe what she was hearing. She couldn't recall anyone other than her mother who'd ever went out if their way for her sake in such a way.

After a moment she smiled at the kind gesture and pushed back tears she hoped he wouldn't notice threatening to well in her eyes.

"Thank you Eren." She said sitting down beside him and staring at the stars same as he seemed to be doing.

"Doubt mention it-" He said trailing off.

"Mikasa, Mikasa Ackerman." She said answering his unspoken question.

"Mikasa Ackerman?" He said testing the name.

"That's a cute name." He said still looking towards the sky unaware that he'd just caused her heart to do a backflip.

"T-thanks." She said blushing slightly. As she turned away from his face to gaze back up at the sky.

"You seem like a really a good person Eren. I don't know why people speak so lowly of you." She said making the boy want to sit up and look at her to see if she really thought so or was just saying it.

"Thanks for being the first person besides my mother to actually believe that about me-" He said pausing for a moment and turning to face her. "Just don't go telling anyone else. I sort of have a reputation to keep up with." He remarked causing Mikasa to chuckle.

For the next two hours they sat talking to each other about their likes and dislikes, their hobbies and other casual interest, both of them avoiding asking anything involving the others personal lives.

Mikasa eventually fell asleep on the grass facing Eren and he smiled when he turned and noticed how at home she looked sleeping in the middle of a park under the night sky. She definitely was different from the usual crop of females he associated with, besides Annie maybe.

The wind blew and as the girls shoulder length dark hair started billowing in the wind he noticed her for the first time. Her pale skin was a smooth ivory that practically glowed in moonlight, she was slim but definitely in possession of a well defined figure.

Her lips were the perfect shade of pink and while they weren't as full as some of the females who's company he'd known the _'pleasure'_ of having, they were definitely appealing even enticing in a way.

He became aware that his heart rate had increased and he turned away quickly wondering how he just noticed the girl he'd been talking to was in her own right very beautiful.

He tossed away his thoughts, knowing she wasn't the type of girl who went for guys like him anyway. He turned away from her and set an alarm on his phone before falling asleep beside her.

Two hours later she woke to Eren shaking her awake and asking her would she be good to walk home on her own. She replied with a yes and a kind smile thanking him for spending the night with her to which he replied no problem and began walking back towards his home.

When she got in the house she removed her shoes at the front door and the breathed a sigh of relief upon noticing her fathers work boots were absent. She walked upstairs having known before coming home that her father had likely already left for work, or at least she'd hoped he did. In her mind though nothing was better than confirmation.

When she reached the top of the steps she silently made her way towards her parents room and quietly opened her door peeking in to see her mother was still up and she appeared to be silently sobbing.

She pushed the door open and stepped inside the room and her mother quickly turned around with a look of fear in her eyes till she saw Mikasa and her fear was replaced with relief.

"Oh Mikasa, I'm so sorry." She remarked as she began sheeding more tears and Mikasa moved to comfort her.

The house was a mess downstairs, as if a tornado had run through their living room and proceeded to leave a trail of destruction all the way from the kitchen stopping just in front of the front door.

Mikasa's mother, Mrs. Masani Kazaki would be expected to clean up the mess created by her husband in one of his drunken rampages as she always would.

Mikasa would offer to stay home from school to help but her mother would tell her that her education was more important as she always did. Of course against her own wishes Mikasa would go to school to satisfy her mother's wishes, just like she'd leave out of the house whenever her step father Mr. Kabuyo Kazaki came home in one of his drunken rages, as he did pretty often.

In those times Mikasa would rather stay home and bare the brunt of his abuse alongside her mother but ever since she'd been old enough to walk the streets safely on her own Masani insisted she leave during those times. Mikasa only did so because her mother would cry much harder whenever Kabuyo abused her too.

Really she knew her mother had resigned herself to her second husband's abusive tendencies. She only cried so much because she hated that she'd dragged Mikasa into this life alongside her. She was constantly apologizing to her for it and begging her not to leave her alone, she promised it would get better one day, that she'd be able to find work to support them and divorce her abusive spouse one day but Mikasa knew it was just wishful thinking.

Kabuyo Kazaki made sure Masani never had the time to pursue a career of her own and Mikasa hated him for it but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. When lung cancer took her fathers life years ago her mother had been completely broken to the point of hardly being able to eat. When her period of grief extended far beyond that which was usual she lost her job and they'd been on the verge of losing their house when Kabuyo Kazaki stepped into their lives and picked up the pieces.

He was a good man at first or he at least seemed to be. Mikasa had even referred to him as father for a shoty time, but after being with her mother for four years after their first year of marriage he got a new supervisor at work that pushed him and his co-workers really hard, and docked their pay only to demand more out of them.

Kabuyo started taken to alcohol and before Mikasa and her mother knew it the man had a drinking problem. When he drunk he had a habit to become violent and take out his anger towards his supervisor on his wife and his step daughter, snapping at the smallest of things and going into a rampage that only ended when he tired himself out.

If he wasn't coming home drunk these days he was coming home and going straight to sleep. It really got to Mikasa because she knew her mother really loved the man and it'd been extremely hard for her to get over her father. The only thing that was keeping Masani strong was likely Mikasa herself and because of that she swore to always be there for the woman.

She could just move in with her uncle Levi if she wanted, her mother had even suggested it on more than one occasion but Mikasa always declined. She was her mother's world and vice versa, she would stay with her forever no matter how bad things got. Not only because that was really what they both wanted but because it's what her father had wanted too. He'd always inspired her to be the strongest little girl she could be and as she grew up she made sure to hold on to her strength.

Eventually her mother's sobs finally subsided and Mikasa stopped rubbing her back as she looked up and appraised her daughter with a sad smile.

"I'm so sorry Mikasa. I don't know what your father would think of me if he could see me like this. You must think I'm pathetic." She said sniffling attempting to hold onto to the composer she just reclaimed.

"It's okay mom, I don't think you're pathetic. I think you're strong..and dad wouldn't be think any less of you. If anything he'd feel guilty for not being able to do anything about the situation. He'd blame himself for dying early."

"I don't want him to blame hiself for my weakness Mikasa." Her mother said holding back a fresh wave of tears that began touching the corner of her eyes.

"You know dad though, there would really be no helping it, but he wouldn't blame you though. I don't blame you either mom, you're strong, things will get better for us eventually. I'll be with you all the way until it does."

Masani sheed some more tears and pulled Mikasa into another embrace grateful for her daughters strength. She reminded her so much of her father, she felt as if she didn't deserve the girl.

"You should hurry and get ready for school so that you won't be late. I prepared you a lunch yesterday evening and I'll go put together a quick breakfast while you shower and get yourself ready."

Mikasa opened her mouth to make the same offer she always did but one stern look from her mother told her there would be no arguing on the matter. She gave the woman a smile and nodded her head standing and making her way to her room to get ready.

After she showered and got dressed she quickly went to go check herself in the mirror wondering if she'd see Eren in school. A part of her wondered if he'd even act like he knew who she was. Really she didn't think so.

Guys like him hardly ever gave girls like her a second thought. He was probably in a good mood about something yesterday so he'd taken it upon himself to be uncharacteristically nice.

The thought of the boy acting like she didn't exist after he'd been so kind to her last night hurt slightly and she pushed it away figuring that was just how life was at both it's best and it's worst, disappointing.

Either way whatever happened she knew she'd still be the same Mikasa she'd always been. The same socially removed A student people always looked at oddly as if they couldn't understand her, not that she cared. She found she liked the fact that most people found her unapproachable for whatever reason.

She wasn't a social person and even if she was, she felt that most people were shallow and fickle. She'd rather have herself, her one friend, and her mother, she'd be just fine with that.

She rushed down the steps grabbing her hand bag and hurrying into her shoes hoping she wouldn't be late.

"Love you Mom see you later!" She called opening the door to the house and stepping out.

"Wait! You don't want to eat any breakfast before you g-"

"No time Mom, I can't be late!"

"Wait, Mikasa! You're forgetting your lunch!" Her mother said rushing to the door to find her daughter had already disappered.

Much to her relief she managed to make it to school with time to spare although she realized upon going into her hand bag that she'd forgotten her lunch. She was sitting in her usual set at the front row closet towards the right of the class. She spared a look towards the back of the class towards where the delinquents usually sat.

She was somewhat dissapointment when she didn't see Eren in the seat at the on the back row closest to the window, but then when does Eren ever show up for first period anyway she thought turning around to begin gathering her notes from yesterday.

Much to her surprise and the surprise of everyone else Eren walked in the moment she'd turned her head, beating his old record of attending class by a whole period. A number of people began remarking in low voices at the rarity of the sight before them but Eren and Mikasa were unaware.

The two held eye contact with one another for a few moments as if to ensure what happened last night truly happened or hadn't been some kind of weird day dream. Eren turned his head towards his desk at the back of the class before turning back to Mikasa and grinning slyly before approaching her desk.

"You wouldn't happen to have be looking for me when I walked in just now...would you?"

Mikasa opened her mouth to reply but closed it after a second realizing how dry it'd went. She settled for a frown instead and a raised eyebrow that begged he answer his own question.

"So that's a yes then?" He remarked, grin widening.

"It's a no." Mikasa replied hating that she found his confidence charming.

"Uh huh...just checking to make sure the boogyman isn't in the back of the class waiting to pounch on you right?"

"I don't think you'd pounch on me Yeager." She said reffering to him by his last name as doing anything else would raise a lot of questions while they were in school.

He raised an eyebrow, although whether it was at her statement or her use of his last name instead of his first, Mikasa didn't really know.

"Why exactly would you think that? Everyone's fair game to a scout you know." He asked curious as to how she'd answer. If the sly grin she was now sporting was any indication it'd be a good one.

"Because you aren't fond of waking up with foot inside your rib cage."

Eren's grin grew morphed into a challenging smirk as he appraised the girl in front of him.

"You think you could pull that off more than once Ackerman?"

"Oh I know I can Yeager. You often fall asleep on the school fields during fourth period if I'm correct."

Eren could help the look of surprise he adopted at her statement and Mikasa couldn't help a chuckle as she knew she had him beat.

"You'd kick the Boogeyman while he's unsuspecting? You know that action would come with it's own set if consequences right?" He questioned hoping she couldn't see his eyes soften slightly as he regarded her smile.

"Oh but I don't think the Boogeyman is as bad as everyone makes him out to be, or maybe he'll just find it in his heart to be a kinder person than usual towards me." She remarked hoping the warmth that was making it's way to her face wasn't noticable.

She'd really had no idea what she was saying till she'd said it. The words had just been leaving her mouth without her putting any prior thought or consideration in them.

Eren looked at her seemingly taken aback for a moment before he started grinning again and placed a shiny red apple on her desk.

"I was gonna give that apple to the teach, but I think you deserve it more, and who knows...The Boogeyman might just find it in himself to be more lenient with you than other people, but if you take his kindness for granted he'll still kick your ass." He said, grin still in place.

"Noted." Mikasa replied grinning same as the delinquent who began making his way towards his usual seat.

"Eren." She called behind him getting him to turn and look at her curiously. "Thank you for the apple." She said smiling sincerely.

"Don't mention it." He replied returning the look and heading towards the back of the class.

Mikasa turned back around and realized literally the entire class including the teacher were all staring at either her or Eren. Their very faces a canvas painted in all the colors of curiousity and disbelief.

She felt her face and neck grow hotter and she shrunk into her seat hoping no one would decide to try and befriend her all of a sudden for answers. She knew she couldn't do anything concerning any rumors but prepare herself to ignore them.

She felt someone nudged her lightly and turned towards the occupant of her neighboring seat, coming face to face with her best friend Kamori Hasada.

"What was that?" She whispered attempting to look inconspicuous as their teacher began running the class through yesterday and today's lesson plan.

"What was what?" She replied faking ignorance.

"You know what I'm talking about! Spill your gutts now Mikasa Ackerman or I swear it's the silently treatment for you!" Kamori shouted in a whisper, completely serious about her threat.

"Okay, but can it wait till after class?" Mikasa sighed trying not to feel embarrassed at what'd just happened.

There would no doubt now be a number of rumors about her and Eren flying around by the end of the day. She didn't really care much about them, as she didn't care about the opinions of others, but she wondered how he would feel about it.

"You've got till lunch and I will wait not a minute longer." Kamori said pointing a finger to show she was serious.

Mikasa sighed and wondered why she kind of wished she could have stayed with Eren longer last night, and why he decided to greet her in school. She'd really just expected him to just go back to paying her no mind like the rest of the student body council.

A few hours later Mikasa and Kamori sat on the roaf eating their lunch in privacy as Mikasa just finished explaining what had happened yesterday between her and Eren that explained why he acted like he knew her now.

"No way! Eren Yeager...The Eren Yeager star gazing? Offering to walk you home! Spending the night with you outside!" Kamori squeeled causing Mikasa to frown at her best friends obvious delight.

"Yes, but don't go telling anyone." She said looking at Kamori seriously.

"Don't worry I won't." She waved a hand dismissively. "It's so cute that he stayed with you all night though, and even woke you up to make sure you wouldn't be late for school. Do you think he has feelings for you?" She asked leaning towards her friend as her eyes sparkled.

"No, he's just a nice guy." Mikasa said looking a bit wistful as she recalled how kindly charming he'd been. She doubted he was even aware that his natural kindness was likely one of, if not his best quality.

"Oh my gosh! You're totally crushing on him aren't you!?"

"No! You sound crazy!" Mikasa denied as she blushed furiously.

 **In the cafeteria**

"Hey Eren, are you even listening to me?"

"Huh.. oh no I wasn't actually. My bad Jean."

"What's got you spacing out?" Armin asked his childhood friend unable to recall the last time he'd seen him so deep in thought.

"It's nothing important but I sure could use a cigarette though. I'm about to head to the roof." He said getting up, hoping a cigarette would help him take his thoughts off the girl he kept looking around the cafeteria for for some reason.

Jean grimaced ready to chew him out about how he knew those things to be against school policy but a look from Armin silenced him.

 **On the roof**

"Uhh huuh!" Kamori said teasing her friend.

"Nuh uuh." Mikasa denied.

"Uhh huuh!" Kamori teased harder.

"Nuh uhh." Mikasa denied knowing giving the girl the last world was the same as giving confirmation.

"Uhh huuh!" Kamori sing songed delighting in Mikasa's embarrassment.

"Nuh uhh!" Mikasa denied getting louder.

"Mikasa?" A voice said coming from behind the girls causing them to both turn around hurriedly and Mikasa's heart rate quicken.

"Eren, what are you doing here?" She asked trying to hide her nervousness.

She hoped he wouldn't ask why her face was red. She wanted nothing more than to kick Kamori in the shin right now.

"I could ask you the same thing, no one usually eats lunch up here." He said looking at her and her friend curiously.

"Where you two just fighting about something?"

"Noo! We were just playing around with each other." Mikasa said elbowing Kamori who was visibly nervous, but not because of Eren's presence.

It had much more to do with the presence of a certain aburn haired track star she happened to be carrying a flame for. Much to Mikasa's dismay though that track star seemed to be carrying a flame for her as he was looking at her star struck even now while Kamori looked at him star struck.

Mikasa sighed and turned away from her friend back towards Eren hoping to just evade his question with another question.

"Anyway, what are you doing up here. You obviously didn't come up here with eating lunch in mind since your hands are empty."

"Oh yea.." Eren said remembering his cigarette and pulling it out of his pocket.

Before he could reach in his other pocket for his matches the brunette girl who'd captured his attention snatched the cigarette from his hand and held it away from him.

"These are bad for you." She said plainly in a stern tone that reminded Eren of his mother.

"So? The air we breath is bad for you these days. Give it back." He said reaching for her hand.

"No." She replied backing up. "Breathing air isn't against school policy, but having these on school grounds is."

"So sue me, come oon...that's my last cigarette." He said pursuing her as she backed away.

"Well why not make the cigarette you smoked before this one the last you smoked." She fired back still backing away.

Eren stopped pursuing her seeing he was getting nowhere and she didn't plan on giving up. He'd have forced the cigarette out of anyone else's hand by now and he guessed that was just yet another way she proved herself to be different from everyone else.

"Okay let's make a deal." He offered wondering if he could play this to his advantage.

"What kind of deal?" Mikasa asked curiously still holding his death stick far away with her other hand.

"Spend Saturday afternoon with me and you can have the cigarette."

Mikasa's eyes widened and she froze at his proposition. She'd been expecting something else, like do my homework for me or something. Apparently Eren Yeager was just full of surprises.

Eren looked pretty calm on the outside but on the inside he felt a bit anxious as he awaited her reply. He knew Mikasa's type, quiet, reserved, and antisocial by choice rather than nature. Those females you were more likely to see studying at the library on a Saturday night rather than hanging out with friends somewhere in a public place. He'd always been attracted to those types and he found Mikasa the same, but different.

"Are you asking me on a date?" She asked unsure if she'd heard him right.

"If that's how you wanna think about it then sure." Eren remarked feeling truly off his game for no reason other than he felt nervous.

Mikasa's face grew even hotter and she looked away unable to face him without fidgeting slightly.

"S-Sure...but I've got a condition too."

Upon hearing her say sure and remark that she had her own condition Eren almost let himself say anything but instead he tilted his head slightly and looked at her suspiciously knowing it was probably something he wouldn't like.

"Name your price." He said knowing he was basically accepting a challenge of some kind.

"You stop smoking cigarettes till Sunday." She said grinning at him triumphantly as his face fell.

Eren looked at the girl dumbstruck wondering when she became con man of the century. One date for four days without a single drag of tabacco. She might as well be asking him to give up all that kept him sane.

"You can't be serious?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"But I am?" She said sarcastically, returning his skepticism.

"If you'd rather not go out with me you could've just said that you know." Eren said figuring she just asked him to do something she knew would be impossible.

"Who says I don't? I'd just prefer you not to wind up killing yourself because of these things."

"So you care about me?" He questioned grinning smugly after her statement.

"I didn't say that either." She smirked ignoring the heat she felt in her cheeks.

"But your actions are kind of insinuating that aren't they?" He asked leaning forward slightly so they were only inches apart.

"Maybe." She replied smugly throwing Eren off again.

 _"Maybe huh? This girl really is a bundle of unpredictability."_

He took a second to observe the subtle pink tint of her cheeks before his eyes began to wander to the succulent light pink of her lips. He quickly pulled them back to her eyes and found her gaze to be curious.

 _"Hm.."_ He thought reaffirming that he was indeed both mentally and physically attracted to the girl. Not just that but he felt drawn to her and there was definitely no denying she'd caught his interest.

He reached out a hand and held it there between them and Mikasa looked at it curiously for a moment before pulling her back arm forward and placing the cigarette in his palm surprised at the dissapointment she felt. He removed a book of matches from his pocket and lit the cigarette, taking one puff before he threw it on the ground and crumpled it under his shoe.

"So starting now I won't smoke until Sunday. I'm just curious to know how you'll know if I break our little agreement though?"

For a few seconds Mikasa just stared at where he'd stomped out the cigarette till she registered his question.

Eren crossed his arms and began grinning as he leaned back against the gate surrounding the edge of the roof.

"You hadn't thought it through that much did you?"

"I didn't expect you to accept honestly." She said a bit sheepish.

"Oh?" Eren raised an eyebrow. "So you really didn't want to go out with me Saturday?" He said with a questioning look.

Mikasa stared at the ground cursing her blood for reacting so strongly to the delinquent who'd apparently taken an interest in her.

"It's not that... I just honestly didn't think you wanted to go out with me that bad. I thought by giving you a decision that'd be hard for you it'd show..."

"It'd show if I seriously wanted to take you out or if I was just doing it out of boredom or a way to satisfy some sort of alterior motive." He supplied figuring that was where she was going.

Mikasa nodded feeling kind of bad about it since so far Eren wasn't doing or hadn't done anything that'd lead her to believe he was that type of person.

"That's one messed up test you know." He remarked plainly. "You do that to everyone who ask you out, or do I get special treatment because I'm supposed to be the Boogeyman?" He asked sounding a bit resentful.

Mikasa turned to fix him with a glare that made it clear that comment wasn't appreciated.

"Yes it may have been messed up BUT...I've never even considered saying yes when a boy ask me out, so some might consider it a special privilege, and NO. I could hardly care what the rest of the school see's you as. The opinions I form will be my own. Don't lob me in with everyone else Yeager." She said glaring for a second longer before turning away and moving towards the gate next to him to look out over the school grounds.

Eren had his head turned to observed her as she stood beside him separated by only a few inches and he could only think one thing at the moment.

 _"What the hell was that about"_

He pushed himself off the gate and turned fully to observe her but she continued to stare forward seemingly unaware or unconcerned with his gaze. Eren knew she was aware and he didn't know why his comment had upset her for the moment but he could tell she was over it now.

"Sorry." He remarked feeling that it was only right, even if he didn't know what he'd done.

"It's okay, I'm sorry too." She said not bothering to turn to look at him.

Eren frowned at the remaining tension in the atmosphere. Tension was only for fighting.

"So I'm the first person you've actually ever said yes to who asked to take you out?"

Mikasa's neutral expression became one of surprise and she tried to look towards the grounds rather than city beyond it's walls as a way to hide her blush. She nodded not trusting her voice not to waver or not to be too high pitched at the moment.

She didn't have to look at Eren to know he was grinning, she could feel it for some reason. He opened his mouth to say something but Mikasa quickly cut him off.

"Save it Yeager, and don't let it go to your head. You better still treat me nice on Saturday." She said with a semi serious, semi nervous frown.

Eren found it ridiculously cute she was trying to frown at him with a blush dotting her face and he couldn't help it when his grin widened.

"Wouldn't dream of doing anything otherwise. Especially if I plan on getting you to say yes to a second one."

Mikasa wasn't expecting him to be thinking about a second date for whatever reason and she could only avert her eyes as the heat in her face increased and the pink tint to her cheeks became not so subtle.

Eren found his heart rate increasing as he watched her react to his words. It wasn't missed on him that he'd never been drawn to anyone like he was the brunette in front of him.

"Hey." He said pulling a pen from his pocket and reaching for her hand.

She gave it and he began writing his number on her palm signing it with Eren much to Mikasa's confusion.

"Why'd you sign your name?" She inquired wondering if he really thought she'd forget who he was in the span of a few hours till school was over.

"So the other guys who wanna give you their numbers in the same way will know they've got competition. He said turning and walking back towards the door that'd brung them to the rooftop.

Upon turning around he realized he'd forgotten they weren't alone. Armin was looking at Eren as if he couldn't believe what he'd just seen, Jean was looking back and forth between him and Mikasa with a striken expression.

Eren temporarily entertained the idea of shooting his friend a threatening look but decided against it. If Jean looked so stricken about it then he obviously didn't have the same chance with Mikasa that he did, which brought him a strange sense of comfort.

Mikasa's friend looked just as surprised as Eren and he wished he'd of had the chance to introduce the brunette and her friend to his best friend but class would resume in three minutes and he couldn't afford to be tardy for Mrs. Sayori's class too much. The woman could be oddly intimidating for a chemistry teacher.

Once Eren exited the roof Armin and Jean were exiting soon behind him leaving Mikasa and Kamori by themselves. Kamori turned to her best friend who's now inked hand was still up while she looked at it absolutely confused, as if trying to separate illusion from what really just happened.

Kamori knew Mikasa didn't like it when she squeeled or raised her voice too high but this was one of those times she couldn't help it.

"OH...EM...GEE!!!"

 **Author's** **notes**

 **Kasuf:** Shy is currently writing two other fanfictions and she's co-writer to this so we'll probably only update this fanfic once or twice a month.

 **Shy:** I really had no intention of writing any other fanfics at the moment but like I said, I needed to see one with this pairing.

 **Kasuf:** If Eren and Mikasa don't seem to be in character like they should be it's for a reason. They'll grow more into who they are in the anime/manga as the story progresses, remember it's an AU.

 **Dialogue**

 **Kabir:** You're seriously letting Kasuf help you with this?

 **Shy:** Kasuf is actually the one who did most of the writing.

 **Kabir:** NO...

 **Shy:** Seriously, he's much more of an AOT fan than me, so he's more suited to write an AOT AU that's actually readable. He'll be handling pretty much everything concerning the story besides Eren and Mikasa's romantic interactions with one another, I'll be writing those.

 **Kabir:** So what you're telling me is this is basically Kasuf's fanfic? O.o

 **Shy:** I know right! I was surprised too at first. I was struggling to even get past 2K words till he took over two hour ago, erased everything I had and started from scratch. He stepped back to let me proof read and I was seriously shocked. It's much better than what I had, I wasn't even thinking AU for one.

 **Kabir:** You think he'll actually finish this fic without losing interest in it like he does for everything else?

 **Shy:** Oh I know he will. Right, brother Eclipse?

 **Kasuf:** I knew what I as getting myself into the moment I saw Shy struggling to throw together a first chapter, I got this.

 **Kabir:** And you'll let her take all the credit too?

 **Kasuf:** Why the hell not? It was her idea, this is her fanfiction, I'm just gonna do most of the story telling.

 **Kabir:** This'll definitely be interesting lol

 **Shy:** I think it'll be awesome!


	2. Titan Slayers

**Shy: Sorry we took so long to upload this guys. We went through so many drafts concerning this chapter just to scrap em and start from scratch again!**

 **Kasuf: Me and Khajul generally think the story should be told in different ways so it was hard to come to an agreement. In the end we decided we'd add a supernatural touch to the story so we can tell it in a way we both agree on for the most part. We hope it all works out for the better.**

 _Titan Slayers_

 **7K** **Words**

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Mikasa was currently walking home while Kamori talked endlessly about how Eren seemed so into her and vice versa. Mikasa heard her friend going on and on but she was hardly paying her words any attention.

Her thoughts were drifting more towards the Yeager boys proposition and she found herself becoming more and more nervous at the thought of Saturday.

When Eren asked to take her out she'd been awestricken and the only response she could think to give was a yes, but really, deep down she hadn't wanted say that to regardless of the circumstance. She found the Yeager boy charming, thoughtful, funny, handsome and such a mystery, but really she knew she wasn't his type.

A quiet introverted book worm of a girl really wouldn't be able to hold the attention of someone like Eren for long. In her mind it was a wonder how she'd come to gain it in the first place. Her intital assumption had been he was trying to get in her pants but apparently that wasn't his goal and if it was it was one he definitely wasn't above fighting for.

Really she looked forward to the date but she dreaded it all the same. Eventually Eren would come to realize she wasn't as entertaining or as fun to be around as he'd assumed and the universe would throw a cold bucket of water in her face that'd serve as a reality check and a wake up call.

Mikasa didn't think there was anything wrong with dreaming, she just knew that dreams ended rather quickly. There was no denying she was attracted to Eren but for her he was surely a dream. She didn't know why she felt that way she just knew she did. She couldn't allow herself to grow too fond of the dream that was Eren Yeager. If she did it'd only hurt her more to wake up drenched in the cruel embrace in of reality.

 **0o0o0o0o0o0**

"MHHMMM!" Came a muffled cry from a figure laying on the floor of an alley surrounded by three teenagers.

He wished someone would've had the decency to actually warn him about how ruthless their enemies could be. They'd followed him and waited till he wandered somewhere where they wouldn't be interrupted, and then made their move.

When he first saw three highschool kids wearing scouts jackets and following him down the alley he'd smirked thinking he'd just found some easy prey. Little did he know that they were the ones who'd actually caught the easy prey. After engaging in a brawl with the boy he figured to be the leader. In a matter of minutes he had been thoroughly beaten and worse..the kid then proceeded to beat him to the point of ensuring he wouldn't be moving any time soon, and that's when the interrogation started.

The kid was ruthless. He'd broken his leg, two of his ribs, and his nose. He dislocated his shoulder, busted his lip, knocked out quite a few of his teeth, and periodically stuffed a rag in his mouth so that he wouldn't bite down on his own tongue..and so that his screams didn't draw any attention.

After he'd ensured the man knew he meant business he removed the gag and proceeded to ask him questions, only to hurt the man more but to a slightly lesser extent when the answers he received were less than satisfactory.

The man stopped screaming as the pain from having another one of his fingers broken numbed somewhat with the adrenaline his rapidly beating heart was pumping throughput his extremities.

"So are you gonna tell us what we wanna know now or what?"

The man gazed upon his tormentor and swallowed hard attempting to wet his throat which had gone hoarse from screaming into a rag.

"I've already told you gu-"

Knowing he was about to once again repeat himself Eren brought his heal down on the man's already broken leg finding little satisfaction in his pained screams.

"Play ball or I can do this all day." Eren remarked coldly.

"I already told you I don't know where they are!!!" The man yelled wondering what the hell he'd done to deserve this. This was likely a part of the job for most scouts but it almost seemed like it was personal for the boy with the sea green eyes.

"You're lying! I know you are!" Eren shouted pulling the man's head up by his hair and taking a lighter and placing the flame to the side of his cheek.

Eren allowed the man's screams to fill the air for a moment before letting go of his hair and commanding the man's compliance with a chilling glare.

"I-I swear I'm not lying...tho-those three are special members...hfff..hfff..hfff," The man weezed trying to regain his composer and some of the air he'd just lost screaming. "I swear I don't know where they are or who they even work for, w-we don't really have leaders."

Eren growled and put his ligher back in his pocket before pulling out a switch blade and stooping down to speak to him in a low voice that he found to be more menacing than the angry one.

"I'm going to give you one last chance to tell me what I want to know. If I don't hear exactly what it is I want to hear I'm gonna cut your fingers off and feed them to you. You titans like eating people right?"

"T-T-That's just a rumors we spread to intimidate people." The man stammered really hoping to make himself seem like more of a regular person instead of an enemy. "Please man, I've got to kids. I ca-"

"Shut the hell up! I didn't ask you about your family life! You think I give a rats ass about you Titan!?" Eren said leaning dangerously close to the man and twirling his knife in a rather intimidating display of skill. "Last chance...where are Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt?"

The man on the ground began to sheed tears when he looked into the boys eyes and saw just how serious he was. He was laying on the alley floor backed up against the wall and he couldn't even scramble away. His body began to shake uncontrollably and aside the bilerising in his throat as his stomach threatened to completely void itself of it's contents his mouth was completely dry.

He didn't know how to answer the question, and there was not a single macrocosm of his being that really wanted to. He knew the only answer he had would likely wind up in the angry scout making good on his threat. "Please..please! I swear I've never heard those names before...I-I don't know who they are!"

Just as Eren stopped twirling his knife and reached for the man's hand Jean stepped forward from behind him and kicked the would be Titan hard in the side of his temple knocking him out.

"What in the hell'd you do that for!? He didn't give us any answers yet!" The now truly angred scout said rounding on Jean.

"Isn't it obvious Yeager!? If that guy seriously knew anything he'd of told you as soon as you broke his nose and dislocated his shoulder!"

"Maybe he was just faking all that fear! He had to have known something!" Eren shot back knowing that the guy who lay on the ground beneath him was only some grunt.

He was no one of real importance, but just carrying the name Titan was enough to earn his errie.

Jean looked at Eren with an expression that said he clearly thought the boy was losing it. "Seriously Yeager...all that hate you have for the Titans is gonna lead to you doing some fucked up shit one day. Some shit that you'll wish you could take back."

"If it's something I'm doing to the Titans then there's no way I'll regret it! These guys are fucking animals, or worse yet...monsters."

Jean only placed a hand in his pocket and sighed as he pulled out a cigarette. "We'll call the MP's to finish up here. You have to be somewhere to be right?"

Eren scoffed and put the switchblade away. "Not really...you sure seem eager to get me out of your hair Jean." Eren said eyeing his comrade suspiciously. "You wouldn't happen to be about to turn tratior on us like those three would you?"

Jeans eyes widened in that moment before narrowing not even as second later. He moved to rush Eren growing more and more feed up with his bullshit. Eren looked more than ready for a fight but Armin was quick to rush in between the two, grabbing Jean and pushing him backwards and keeping Eren from moving forward.

"Just because your fucking ex girlfriend and her brothers are traitors doesn't mean the rest of us are! You've always been bat shit crazy about taking down the Titans but you've only gotten worse lately! Call me a traitor again Yeager and I swear I'll kick your sorry little ass!"

"Good luck with that pretty boy." Eren said before turning to walk away leaving the two alone in the alley with the unconscious Titan the MP's were on there way to to 'deal with' as was their job.

In all honesty Eren knew he was getting worse but he could hardly be bothered to care. No one besides Armin knew why he'd become a scout. No one knew everything the Titans took from him. He was only growing more hateful towards those who carried that name and affiliated them selves with the gang because after all this time the nightmares still wouldn't stop. In fact after all this time they only got worse.

The Titans were the reason he couldn't sleep at night without pharmaceuticals. The images of that night three years ago were still fresh in his mind. Everything from the sights, to the sounds, to the taste the smell of blood and burning flesh left in his mouth.

His stomach clenched and he cursed wishing more than anything Yeager men weren't always men of their word. He was really dying for a cigarette at the moment and he knew he'd be fustrated as he waited in line to pick up his prescription.

Mikasa though..Eren couldn't put his finger on it but there was just something in his gutt telling him that Mikasa Ackerman was worth it.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

"Oh my gosh Mikasa, what will you wear!?"

Mikasa looked back up towards her best friend and shrugged having not put much thought into it. She found it crazy her friend still contained so much enthusiasm for her upcoming date but she figured that was Kamori for you, always excited about something.

They sat in her room, Mikasa sitting at her desk and going over her homework while Kamori stood and walk over from her bed to rifle through her closet.

"Geeze Mikasa, all your clothes are so plan. Don't you have anything that's cute?"

"No." Mikasa answered a hundred percent sure Kamori would consider nothing she had in her closet to be 'cute' by her standards.

Mikasa was never the type of female to obsess over cute things. Most of her clothing consisted of jeans, sweaters and T shirts. She wasn't even sure that she owned a skirt and she knew she didn't own a dress of any kind.

She couldn't help but smile as Kamori riffled through her closet throwing various articles of clothing to the carpet floor. While Mikasa would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous, it seemed like her friend was stressing over her upcoming date more than she was. It was Thursday, she had more than enough time to get ready.

Masani came into the room looking at her daughter oddly when she saw her laying on her bed with her homework in front of her and a bunch of clothes flying from her closet.

"Is Kamori okay?" Mrs Kazaki inquired wondering why her daughter's friend was looking through the closet with such urgency.

Mikasa laughed at her mother's question and wondered when was Kamori ever okay. "She's fine mom, just a bit excited at the moment."

"Oh?" Masani replied sitting down a trey with tea and cinnamon buns. "What's she excited about?"

Mikasa took in her mother's curious expression and struggled not to bite her lip as she probed her mind for the easiest way to give an answer.

"Mikasa's date on Saturday!" Kamori's voice sounded from inside the closet startling Mikasa who grew slightly red when her mother turned to look at her in surprise.

"You have a date this Saturday Mikasa?" Her mother asked sounding a bit disbelieving.

Mikasa nodded her head and stood moving to the dresser to pour herself a cup of tea and grab a cinnamon roll.

"Oohhh my little Mikasa bear is growing up!" Masani gushed growing nearly as excited as Kamori for her daughter's first date.

"It's nothing mom. It's not like we're close or anything. He probably just wanted to ask me out so I would agree to help him out with his homework or something." Mikasa said attempting to downplay the situation while pouring herself a cup of tea, hoping the warmth would leave her face before she turned back around.

"Nonesense! Boys don't ask out pretty girls like you just to help them with their homework Mikasa."

"Exactly!" Kamori agreed from inside the closet she was still causing a disaster inside.

"Eren Yeager isn't anything like the average guy far as I can tell." Mikasa said cursing herself when she felt her face flush a bit more at her mention of the delinquent.

"Oh?" Masani chirped from her spot on the edge of Mikasa's bed. "Well what is he like?" She questioned genuinely curious.

Mikasa finished with her task of fixing herself a cup of tea and used a napkin to snag herself a cinnamon roll before making her way back towards her bed. She sat the cinnamon roll on her nightstand and began stirring her tea as she wondered how to answer that question. She didn't really know Eren that well but she figured she knew enough.

"Well he's kind when he wants to be. He can be a bit stand offish but it's not like it really annoys me. It's actually kind of entertaining. He can be kind of confusing sometimes. He never doesn't always act the way I expect him to. He can also be funny and even a bit charming."

"Not to mention he's one of the hottest guys in the school." Kamori added from the closet earning herself a small measure of Mikasa's errie.

"Sounds like this Eren boy is quite the character. How'd you meet him?"

Mikasa avoided her mother's gaze for a moment before answering her question and telling her exactly how they'd meant and how the events that took place the day after resulted in Eren asking her out on a date.

Masani's eyes had only flashed with guilt for a moment while listening to her daughter's story. When Mikasa was finished telling it she grinned before launching into her lecture concerning all the dangers of boys and why they often brought pleasure and pain in equal amounts.

Mikasa was only half listening to her mother's lecture till she brought up sex and even Kamori paused in her task of destroying her best friends closet to listen.

"Now it's only natural at your age that you begin to grow curious, and most likely this Eren boy will want to-"

"Oh my God mom, will you just drop it!? Me and Eren are nowhere near being that close yet! I-I really don't want to talk about this sort of thing." Mikasa stammered attempting to hide the flush of her cheeks behind her half empty tea cup.

Kamori began laughing hysterically from inside the closet not needed to turn around to see her friends look of embarrassment. Masani looked a bit puzzled for a moment but smiled at her daughter understanding that kind of conversation could be very uncomfortable for a child to have with a parent.

Although most teens around Mikasa's age would go to their friends to discuss those things she trusted her daughter would come to her to discuss those things when the time was right, or she at least really hoped she would. Children needed guidance from adults not other children who thought they were grown.

"Well whenever you do want to discuss it I'm always here Mikasa." Masani said pinching her daughter's cheeks, knowing she was doing nothing to help the girls blush die down.

"So.." Masani asked as her eyes began to sparkle with the same excitement Kamori was showing. "What do you plan on wearing for your date?"

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Eren sat in the waiting area glancing back and forth between his phone and the clock on the wall. He was never particularly good at waiting for...well..just about anything. But he felt like the receiptionist was taking forever to call his name.

There was a young boy and what had to be his mother sitting in the room two chairs away from Eren waiting to be seen and he could tell the kid was just as if not more anxious as he was to get this over with. Eren and the boy made eye contact for a moment and the boy began to develope a wide and exasperated smile as his eyes began to part while widening slowly.

Eren took in the boys expression and began to silently chuckle before he mimiced it causing the boy to let out his own chorus of silent laughter drawing the attention of the woman accompanying him who looked up from her smart phone wondering at the silent joke shared between her son and a stranger.

Figuring it was nothing harmful she returned to her phone and Eren and the boy shared another bit of silent laughter.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Armin didn't really go outside often when he didn't have to. He could be considered a bit of a book worm and even a workaholic at times, but regardless of his somewhat anti social tendencies Armin had friends, in school and out. His outside friends though were members of the scouts. When he was outside he carried his work with him. When he was in the house he had less of a chip on his shoulder.

Armin joined the scouts two years ago as a way to prove himself a worthy friend to Eren, who'd been the only person who was there for him when his grandfather's heart finally gave out. Of course Eren didn't have any parts in convincing him to join. He'd even tried talking him out if it but Armin was never one to back down when he set his mind to something.

To him Eren was something of a brother who lived his normal life along with his gang life where the blonde had been unable to reach or provide him with support. That'd been his greatest motivation for joining. Aside from the fact that the Titans were monsters who needed to be stopped.

Armin didn't really like being a scout but he had his reasons same as everyone else who joined.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Jean got inside the house and threw his hand bag on the table, moving past his mother without so much as a glance or a nod to acknowledge the woman's existence. In Jeans eyes she wasn't all that bad because she at least paid the bills, but she barely acknowledged him and his brother so why should he pay her any mind?

As far as father's went Jean never had a father. He was the only man he'd ever looked up too and he wasn't even eighteen yet. He usually spent his free time hanging out with the gang but like every other day he had to come home to check on his younger brother first.

His mother would spend all day sitting on the couch watching TV and drinking beer so his little brother would go without eating when he wasn't sure to come home and make him something.

Jean ended up joining the scouts last year more out of want than necessity. Most of the people who joined all had reasons that lead to them really having no other option. Jean on the other hand just wanted to find his father and the only bit of information he'd ever gotten on him was the man was once a part of the police faction of their gang.

The members of that faction were hand picked from the other factions by it's higher ups. The slayers really had no true leader but the factions individually had their own leaders which they picked for themselves and there was a ranking system.

The police were basically the big dogs. The brain of their organization and the hands that kept it operational. The scouts and the Garrison unit, or the army as they called themselves were on equal standing, neither out ranking the other but both serving as the arms and legs that ensured their little outfit could stand.

Most people thought of the Slayers as a gang just like they did the Titans but really both groups were organizations. The Titans had one goal they'd stop at nothing to accomplish and that goal was world domination. The Slayers had one goal as well, one they'd stop at nothing to accomplish. The complete eradication of the titans and those in the high places of government that supported them. The Slayers name was just a short for The Titan Slayers.

The Titans were much bigger than anyone knew. They weren't just a bunch of career criminals and thugs like most people thought. The Titans actually had their own people deeply involved in the politics of the country and various religious organizations as well.

Rumor was that The Titans ate people and had this crazy ass ability some people referred to as shifting, but no one knew what it was or what it was supposed to do. Apparently if you were ever unfortunate enough to see a Titan shift you wouldn't be lucky enough to survive. Apparently only a small number of them were capable of shifting but Jean didn't believe that crap even if Eren, Scout commander Irving, Captain Levi, and a number of others thought it to be true.

People didn't have super natural powers or abilities. It was likely just some rumor they started about themselves to intimidate others, like how they had half the country believing that a number of them really enjoyed eating human flesh.

Jean was a realist and there was no way he'd ever believe any of that bullshit without actually seeing real physical proof for himself with his own two eyes.

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Shasha was always a rather simple girl. Eat, sleep, wake up, go to school, come home, help her father out, eat, sleep, wake up, repeat process.

Everything in her life had stayed the same for a number of years and nothing happened to change that which she'd been grateful for. She never really wanted anything to be any different than how it was.

One night though, everything changed dramatically. It'd happened before anyone could even blink an eye. She'd been out in the fields helping her father as usual when they noticed a number of strangely dressed men making their way along the road towards their farm house. Her father instructed her to go inside feeling something was off about the men for whatever reason.

Although she really didn't want to Shasha listened knowing her fathers instincts were usually always right.

The men reached their farm and began talking to her father as if he worked for them now and they explained they expected thirty percent of the profit his farm brought in every season. Of course he refused as thirty percent of his profit leaving his hands every season would eventually result in him losing the farm. The strangers then gave him an ultimatum to either sell them the farm or just leave.

He refused this as well and pulled the small pistol he kept holstered against his side into his hand and asked the gentlemen to kindly leave. Much to Shasha's surprise none of them seemed to be worried about the small fire arm in the slightest bit. One of the men began taking steps towards her father and he fired a warning shot right past his face which was meant with a grin of excitement rather than a look of fear.

The man continued to advance forward and her father shot the man in his leg, but much to their mutual horror the man only flinched slightly and his leg began to steam as the flesh pushed out the bullet and healed over itself within seconds. Her fathers surprise was by no means short lived, but the man's brain was still processing things clearly enough to know that whatever this guy was he wasn't human.

He raised his gun higher and began firing a number of shots that were by no means warning shots and Shasha quickly ran into the den of the farm house and grabbed the shot gun they kept above the pantry. She made her way back to the front of the house, stepping outside to find the man hadn't taken kindly to being shot.

He held her father above the ground with one arm as if he weighed nothing, looking at the man with pure venom. His face and his chest billowing with steam as a number of bullet holes sealed themselves shut at an inhuman rate.

Shasha shouted her fathers name and ran to his aid, hesitating when he shouted at her to get back inside and lock the doors. Usually she would've listened but like her father was always reminding her she had a stubborn streak just like her mother, and since losing her, her father was all she had. She swallowed her fear and indecision and came to stand next to the man who was holding her father above the ground.

She placed the shotgun against the side of his head and demanded he let her father go, but the stranger just turned shooting her a half glance and a look that did nothing to help Shasha's nerves. Here she had a shotgun pointed directly at his head but the man only looked at her like she was little more than a pest. A fly or a bug unworthy of any real consideration. At least until his eyes wandered over her body and he began grinning in a lecherous manner that sent chills down her spin.

Shasha thought about just blowing the mans head off there, but his four companions were standing a short distance away and she didn't know how they'd react. It was very possible they were all armed, and if they were the same as this man there would be nothing her fathers pistol could do against them at long range and she'd need to get closer to hope to be a threat with the shotgun.

The man licked his lips and dropped her father to turn towards her, the barrel of the gun now pointed at his face.

"I wonder how you taste."

Shasha felt the fear in her chest grow as she involuntarily took a step backwards. This man..this thing..seemed completely unconcerned with the deadly weapon she had pointed towards him. And what did he mean by he wondered how she tasted? She really didn't want to find out, but she didn't know what her best choice of action was..shoot or play tuff?

The man took a step towards her and she took another step backwards. Her fathers voice cut over towards them stopping the man in his tracks and drawing his attention.

"What was that old man?" The man/thing questioned.

"You can have thirty percent of our seasons profit right now. Just please..leave my daughter alone." Her father begged still unable to stand from whatever the stranger had done to him when she was retrieving the shotgun.

"Well...I'm waiting."

Her father nodded, a bit of relief showing on his face before he turned to Shasha. "Go into my office and get these men what they want."

"But da-"

"Now Shasha!" He bellowed.

She flinched a bit having never heard her father take that tone with anyone before let alone her. She didn't want to leave him out here alone with the strangers but she had no choice. She placed the shotgun in his lap, picking his pistol up off the ground so that she could at least feel they were both protected as she went inside the farm house and did exactly as he said. Once she returned with the money the stranger counted it out before shooting them a grin and turning and making his way back down the road with his companions.

He hadn't said anything but they both knew he'd be back next season. Shasha was relieved that her father was okay, regardless of them losing out on thirty percent of this season's profit, and he apparently felt the same about his daughter.

The two tried to report what happened to law enforcement but they'd taken their story about inhuman mystery men who shrugged off bullets and healed immediately to be far fetched and began questioning them on what kind of foods they consumed out there on the farm before telling them to ensure their water source wasn't contaminated with anything.

Shasha had figured they'd think them crazy but her father seemed to think that the law was in on it somehow. That they knew exactly what they were talking about but made it seem like they didn't.

It'd been two years since then and things had only gotten rougher on them each season. Between feeding their livestock, seed, anti pesticides, materials for the farms upkeep, and various other expenses the two could barely even afford to feed themselves some days.

Shasha and her father had been in town one day when she overheard someone talking about the same thing she and her father experienced. A man who only flinched when shot and healed immediately as his wounds steamed for whatever reason.

She'd quickly demanded more information out of the strangers who were discussing this but all they'd been able to tell her was that they were rumors, and that the people rumored to have those abilities were all a part of a gang called the Titans. Rumor had it they ate people too, which explained to Shasha why the man said he wondered how she tasted.

Two days later while tiling the fields with no one but their trusty farm dog 'Blue' outside with her she was approached by a single man who inquired as to why she'd been inquiring about the Titans when she was in town days ago. She told him her story knowing this man wasn't one of... Whatever those things..the Titans were.

After he'd heard everything he introduced himself and asked her if she'd be interested in joining an organization dedicated to the eradication of the Titans and all those under them who had no idea what they'd really gotten themselves into. Needless to say she hadn't even hesitated before accepting his invitation.

For six months now Shasha had been a scout. She hadn't come across another one of those shifters as they called them, except when they came to collect on their thirty percent cut. She was in the midst of planning something against them but she'd need a few willing scouts to help her out, and then she'd need protection for her father's farm from the garrison unit after it was done.

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Connie was just a country boy who lived with both his parents and had not a care in the world. The town he lived in was a small community of farmers, seamstresses, and herbalist. The town was so small pretty much everyone knew each other, and it seemed more like an old fashion village than a modern day town.

Connie had lived here all his life and unlike most children his age from the town he wasn't someone who had a desire to travel or see the world. Really he just wanted to make his fellow towns people proud of him somehow, but he was totally unremarkable so there was no way for him to do that. He didn't sweat it much. Everyone was like family here so it didn't really matter.

He was content for things to continue as they were, but all good things came to an end eventually.

He could still remember the flames, the laughter and the fearful cries. Connie was one of few people who'd seen the damage the shifters could do and lived to tell about it. The only thing is he'd never talk about it. He only survived that night because his mother and his father told him to run, which he did and would never forgive himself for.

He hadn't needed to return to his village afterwards to know everyone was dead. He'd lived there all his life so he didn't know his way to the closest city. He stumbled through the woods aimlessly for two days until he stumbled across a farm and collapsed in the field thankful to have finally found someone who could lead him to civilization.

He woke up to the face of a girl around his age looking at him with an expression that seemed torn between worry and curiousity. He recalled his story to the girl and her father and the man gave his condolences and offered him a place on the farm with them.

The girl had seemed surprised at first but her father quickly explained that it was a part of who they were to help people in need and she didn't argue. After the man left the room the girl quickly began milking him for more details which he gave seeing as he had no reason to hold back, even if recalling everything made him feel like a coward for running.

She didn't seem at all surprised when he finished giving her every detail he could recall. In fact she seemed to have grown angry but her face grew determined.

She offered him a chance to fight back against the monsters that'd destroyed his village. She offered him a chance to join her and the organization she belonged to. The Titan slayers. She offered him the chance to become the bane of all Titans, a scout.

Feeling as if it was the least he could do to began making amends to his family for leaving when he should have stayed he accepted her offer.

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Historia Ries wasn't as sociable of a girl as you'd think upon first glance. With shoulder length blonde hair, beautiful pale blue eyes, a cherubic face that framed a smile bright enough to charm an Akuma, you'd think she was a social butterfly. But that assessment couldn't be more far from the truth.

As an effect of being the daughter of the Japanese prime Minister she'd been homeschooled for most of her life and when she wasn't homeschooled she was enrolled in private academies. She knew how to interact with people, she just didn't always feel comfortable doing so.

Plus she knew of the existence of the shifters within the organization that called reffered to themselves as Titans. Her father had been attempting to undermine their efforts at acquiring political power in the country for years. As a result the man now lay comatosed in a hospital bed with his daughter at his side as she always was.

Her father hadn't known about shifters so he'd had no reason to think his usual security detail wouldn't be able to protect him, but Historia had known of their existence for years.

Her best friend Ymir was a shifter and much to her frustration she'd never told her how she became one, but it seemed like a painful memory so she didn't pry. She just resolved herself to pick up where her father left off and undermine the Titans at every end. She joined the Slayers as a way to ensure she wasn't fighting by herself as her father had been.

Ymir joined with her and she found it ironic.

If they found of what she really was they'd likely kill both of them, but it was a risk they were both willing to take. Somebody had to stop the Titans. The more people working towards the goal the better.

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Eren stepped inside the small apartment he and Armin shared and sat the bag of convenient store treats on the small table in the living room.

The two had been living on their own ever since Armins grandfather passed away leaving the two without a legal guardian to look over them. On paper a friend of Eren's father, a man name Eugene Ernest was their guardian but the man worked for some kind of big corporation and lived all the way on the other side of the city.

This wasn't a problem for either of them considering they were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. Ernest paid the rent for the two and they took care of everything else.

Eren kicked his shoes off at the door and stepped inside feeling his stomach rumble at the smell of whatever it was his best friend was making in the kitchen.

"Yo."

Armin looked up at his friends greeting as Eren stepped into the kitchen and headed straight towards the fridge.

"Wash your hands first."

Eren shot Armin a look as if to ask 'really?' but Armin just continued with what he was doing paying his friends expression no mind.

Eren sighed and closed the fridge figuring he could wait for Armin to finish making dinner. He made his way towards the couch in the living room and plopped down without bothering to turn on the TV. His thoughts were currently occupied with how the hell he was supposed to find three traitors he'd been looking for for months now.

The three had joined the Slayers just a short while after Eren and Armin. Feeling something akin to pity for the new kids who had no one to show them the ropes Eren and Armin had taken it upon themselves to befriend the three. Little had anyone known they were really Titans all along.

No one knew what they gained by infiltrating their group considering the scouts hide nothing. Everyone knew who they were, how they operated, and who their commander was. The three had played their roles faithfully up until the scouts came close to capturing someone particularly high up in the Titans organization.

They'd been going after this guy for months and when they finally had him cornered Reiner attacked Levi, Annie shot Eren in the back, and Berthold pretty much took care of everyone else.

When Eren came to he was surrounded by dead scouts and a bleeding captain Levi kicking him in the side and telling him to pick his sorry ass up, pretty much ignoring the fact he still had a bullet in his back. Levi was injured but he was cursing himself saying he'd almost killed the two of them before they managed to get away.

Eren still remembered that day like it was yesterday.

The cold look in Annie's eyes as he looked up and realized his own girlfriend had not only shot him but she was a trader to everything be stood for. The Savage look on Reiner's face as he launched himself at Levi. The expressionless mask worn by Berthold as he attacked the others.

As Hanji pulled the bullet from his back when they reached one of their hideouts Eren could only think of one thing besides revenge.

He'd just been glad Armin hadn't come with them that day.

 **We were torn between making the chapter longer or just uploading since it's been about five months. In the end we decided to just upload it shorter than what it could've been. Chapter three will be coming sooner than this one did.**


	3. Connections

**Thanks for reading.**

 **Disclaimer:** **You know how it goes...**

 _Connection_

 **4K Words**

It was Friday night and Eren was fresh out of the shower dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants, a white T shirt and some white socks. Armin was dressed in a set of sky blue PJ's sitting on the couch while Eren sat at the small table just outside the kitchen on his phone.

Sitting in the house in bed time clothes at 9:32pm was no way to be spending one's Friday night at their age, especially considering niether boy had parents to tell them what to do, but niether of the two really cared to spend their Friday nights any differently.

Eren was on his phone browsing the web on armins computer for any recent news articles or social media mentions of the Titans. There were quite a few but he'd only show interest in those that might be of use. Armin was reading a book of some kind and besides the sound of the news the living room TV displayed all was silent within the house till the ring of a phone sounded drawing the two back to reality.

Eren's phone rung and an unknown number popped up. He frowned at the device expecting some kind of annoying scam call or something interrupting his search for intel on the Titans. Armin looked at Eren and put his book down a bit to see who it could be.

Eren hardly ever gave anyone his number so if someone was calling this late it likely wasn't anything good, and it was likely something involving the Titans in one way or another.

"Hello?"

Eren's voice came through as sharp and annoyed on the other line as he answered, startling Mikasa who figured she should've called earlier.

"Sorry, I didn't think it'd be a problem if I called this late since there's no school tomorrow."

Armin prepared himself for the absolute worst when Eren's eyes widened and he began to look remorseful.

"Mikasa?" He questioned just remembering he'd given her his number on the roof. "Sorry I snapped on you. I was just kind of in the middle of something."

"I can call you back later if you'd like?" Mikasa said cursing herself at the hope that seeped into her voice.

"No that's fine, I wasn't doing anything important." Eren grinned.

Armin smiled from where he was on the couch returning to his book and remarking to himself that anyone who could get Eren's mind away from the Titans had to be special.

"So why didn't you call me sooner?" He asked wondering why she'd waited a full day. He'd been dying to speak to her after school yesterday.

Mikasa shrugged on her end but she knew Eren couldn't see it so she looked for the best possible response.

"I was nervous." She answered truthfully.

"Nervous?" Eren questioned with a raise of his brow.

Mikasa was unsure of how to reply for a moment. "I guess I just never got over my fear of the boogeyman."

"Oh really? I heard he only bites if that's what you're into."

Mikasa could almost hear the smirk he was wearing in his voice and she inwardly chuckled.

"Well only if he's into surprised feet landing on his rib cage."

"That hardly sounds like a fair trade." The scout complained.

"Life isn't fair Eren." Mikasa smirked.

"And how would you know that? You're smart and pretty, life's been pretty good to you."

Mikasa smiled at the compliment but her smile went sad as she mentally listed all the reasons life had been unfair to her. Taking notice of her silence Eren recalled the sad look in her eyes when he'd suggested she head home on the night they meant. Mikasa had been blessed with intelligence and good looks but that didn't mean that her family life was good as well.

"Sorry." He apologized not wanting to make her think of unsavory things.

Mikasa startled wondering what he was giving an apology for when he hadn't said anything to warrant one.

"You don't have to-"

"I know." He cut her off knowing what she was about to say. "I just wanted to."

Mikasa smiled at Eren's kindness unbothered allowing herself to enjoy the warm feeling the boys word brought rise to. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments afterwards content with just hearing each other breath.

"How is it someone so nice has a reputation like yours?" Mikasa asked after a while.

"Because I'm not actually nice." He answered plainly. "I'm just nice to you. My reputation is how it is because other people don't get the same treatment."

"Why me though?" She said lifting herself off her pillow and leaning her back against the wooden headboard of her bed that leaned against her wall. "What's so different about me that makes you treat me better than other people?"

"I don't know." He answered honestly never actually giving it any thought.

"Oh.." Mikasa remarked veiling her disappointment.

The two were silent once again and Eren wondered if it really meant that important to her. He could at least tell her why he wanted to take her out considering it she really wanted to know.

"This might sound kind of corney so you better never tell anyone I said this, but I've feeling this pull towards you ever since I spoke to you at the park it's been kinda hard for me not to think about you when I'm not doing something else."

Eren was more grateful than anyone would ever know that no one was there to see his blush right now. In his conversation with Mikasa he completely forgot that Armin was on the other side of the room discreetly monitoring his conversation along with his facial expressions.

Mikasa placed her free hand against her chest attempting to muffle the now rapid beat of her heart just in case Eren could hear it through the receiver. She was one hundred percent sure her face had never been this red before and she thanked every deity she could think of that Yeager couldn't see just how much that comment affected her.

"I...it's kind of like..I've been going through the same thing." She confessed feeling as if it was only fair since he'd done so. "It's like I've been waiting to meet you for a long time or something." Mikasa admitted with red cheeks and a voice that was barely above a whisper.

Armin wondered what was just said as Eren's eyes widened considerably and his expression became one of pure surprise.

"Must be fate or something considering I feel the same. Might as well skip the dating and getting to know each other and jump straight into the girlfriend boyfriend stage."

"Don't push your luck Yeager." Mikasa said, face just as flush as it'd been a moment ago.

Eren chuckled and a smile usually only reserved for Kamori and her mother brought her lips into an upward curve.

"I'm willing to bet you were just blushing up a storm just a moment ago." Eren teased wondering when he'd decided he actually wanted to start dating Mikasa.

"I am not not blushing.." She lied.

"Of course you aren't." He said sounding none too convinced.

Mikasa didn't bother humoring him with a response and the conversation lulled into another moment of comfortable silence before the Ackerman decided to break it.

"Can I ask you a question Eren?"

"Sure." He said curious as to what she wanted to know.

Mikasa hesitated for a moment unsure of whether or not this was the kind of question you asked someone you hardly knew.

"Why are you in a gang?"

Eren was silent...the two were nowhere near each other but she could swore she felt a shift in the atmosphere. As the seconds ticked by ever do slowly, Mikasa couldn't help but feel as if she'd made a mistake by asking him something so personal.

"I'm sorry Eren. I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." He interrupted attempting to keep the emotions the topic brought to rise at bay. "I'm a scout for reasons I'd rather not say." He finished leaving it at that.

Mikasa heard many things in Eren's voice one might have easily missed. Pain, anger, sadness, grief, resentment, and a deep seeded fury that scared her. She didn't know what being a scout meant to him but whatever it was it was obviously something very deep. She resolved never to bring it up again if she could. He referred to himself as a scout with nothing but pride. Yet apparently his reasons for being in the group were nothing he held pride in.

She saw him for the first time. He wasn't what he presented himself to be and he wasn't just an enigmatic bundle of surprises like how she perceived him. He was a well of depth few had likely ever been granted access to and his waters likely ran deeper than anyone could ever assume. She wondered if it was at all possible to brave the harsher of his waters but she swallowed the innate desire she felt to help him.

Truthfully is she was willing to be honest with herself she'd admit it was because she was afriad of the murky depths of the boys soul she knew were likely hidden away somewhere in his soul. She was just fine with Eren as he presented himself to her and prying would be rude she told herself but still...it was a bit disconcerting how she was able to devine so much about Eren from the tone his voice held for just once sentence, and she did truly wish to helo him.

She didn't know what was wrong but she could tell that there was and that was enough.

In truth though she couldn't help but find this situation extremely exciting. As a person she knew Eren good enough to say they could be friends and yet the two had a bond that went far beyond that. What she felt they had was a strong spiritual connection to one another. A connection that was rare between two people who never spent any time around each other just meeting. Already Eren felt like a good friend she'd had for a while now, but the only problem was she didn't really KNOW him.

Mikasa decided that this bond was something that she would very much like to cultivate. He could open himself up to her as he wanted and she would go no further into the waters than she should.

All was still silent on the line as nothing was said between the two. The atmosphere was no longer thick and there was no tension, but the two both just seemed to be at a lose as to what to say."

"Eren..." Mikasa broke the silence. "I'm sorry for making you-"

"It's okay." He interrupted same as before not wanting her to feel like she did something wrong. It was the thought of what'd happened that upset him not her curiousity that angered him. "You apologise too much. Must be a trade off that comes with being a nerd huh?" He smiled hoping to divert the topic back towards something more pleasant.

For some reason he felt like he could feel Mikasa smile at his comment, but the feeling was something he gave little acknowledgement to besides the fleeting thought that it would be nice if she was.

"Why are you such a jerk?" She quiped glad to see Eren's mood wasn't ruined thanks to the previous topic.

"You'd probably get bored of me if I wasn't. I happen to know a secret about nice girls like you."

"Oh?" Mikasa said raising a brow. "Please enlighten me." She said sarcastically.

This time Mikasa was the one practically feeling Eren's facial expression through the phone. The smug grin she pictured was just as irritating as it was stimulating and exciting.

"Girls like you don't like good guys because they're too boring for you. Good girls already live boring enough lives without their boyfriend's only adding to the monotony. That's why girls like you go for guys like me. We keep you on your toes, on the edges of your seats, and at your wits end, and you all find it thrilling. Some of you even see it as a challenge."

Mikasa was a bit surprised at the assessment. Was that one of the reasons why she felt like she was so into Eren? The sense of danger and unpredictability that accompanied his presence was a turn on for her?

"That's not why I like you." She quickly stated for him and herself, knowing things weren't so simple.

"So you not only care about me but you like me too?" Eren teased wishing he could see the small bit of pink dusting her cheeks now.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves Yeager." Mikasa said wondering if he knew she was blushing.

"Just an observation." He replied smugly. "Why exactly do you like me anyway?"

Mikasa didn't exactly know how to reply. She knew why she liked Eren but she in no way wanted to tell him why especially considering there were multiple reasons. That'd just add more fire to the scouts arsenal.

"Because your rib cage seems like a good resting place for my foot." She smirked.

Eren's facial expression became somewhat dour at her response.

"Haha, very funny."

Mikasa began laughing on her end and Eren's expression softened again at the sound of it.

"Hey, you thi-"

"Sorry Eren, but could you hold up a second?" Mikasa said as she heard a car pulled up outside their house.

"Sure." Eren said wondering if he was imagining what he'd heard in her voice.

Usually Mikasa was always calm, sometimes nervous around him, but never before had he seen her apprehensive. Something was going on that was very important to her and whatever it was it didn't feel right to him.

Meanwhile out of said car that just pulled up hoped the man responsible for picking up the pieces of her and her mother's life and then destroying it nearly as quickly as it'd been repaired.

"I'm sorry Eren but I'll have to call you back later." Mikasa said with a hint of urgency in her voice that had the scout raising one eyebrow suspiciously.

"Okay." He said keeping the disappointment and suspicion out of his voice...or at least trying to. "Enjoy your night Mikasa."

"You too Eren." She replied pressing the end button and quickly running downstairs towards the kitchen as she tried to ignore the disappointment she'd heard.

Eren wondered what had come up so suddenly to make her end their conversation so quickly but he decided that was really none of his business. He entertained the idea of doing some more digging for intel but after talking with Mikasa he felt like he was in good spirits. He didn't want to ruin his good mood at the moment so he decided he might as well go to sleep instead.

"I'm going to bed Armin." He said standing and moving towards his bedroom at the back of the hall.

Armin nodded his head nearly falling over in shock when Eren opted to get some sleep rather than keeping himself awake obsessing over the Titans as he did usually.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Mikasa already had on a pair of blue jeans and a plain white long sleeved shirt. She slipped into her shoes getting ready for the routine she and her mother repeated every night upon Kabuyo Kazaki's arrival home. She stood in the kitchen leaning against one of the counters so she had easy access to the backdoor should she need it.

Her mother would go greet Kabuyo at the door and gauge his mood. If the woman discreetly knocked twice on the wall she was to leave and head towards her uncle's house which wasn't too far from where they lived. More likely than not she would just go to some local park and fall asleep on a bench or something. She loved her uncle Levi but she wasn't really fond of relying on other people so she avoided it whenever possible.

The door opened after a minute or so and Mikasa held her breath waiting to hear something. She heard her mother speaking softly to the man and she heard his replies. He didn't sound inebriated in the slightest, only weary and tired from his day.

She moved towards the kitchen table and sat down figuring tonight was one of those nights that she wouldn't have to run away.

She startled slightly as the man came into the kitchen with her mother right behind him. His eyes meant Mikasa's and he gave her a warm smile which she repayed with a small smile of her own. It was crazy how much alcohol could bring out a change in personality.

He sat down at the head of the table and looked at her curiously while her mother began placing the food she'd already prepared on dishes for them with a small smile of contentment on her face as she did. "How was school yesterday?" He asked politely.

"It was okay besides the fact I forgot my lunch and had to go hungry. But a friend did give me an apple so I guess it wasn't too bad."

"With the way your mother cooks it's a wonder anyone could ever forget her food."

Masani chuckled placing his plate down in front of him and going back to the stove to fix Mikasa's.

"I guess I was kind of distracted when I left out." She said thinking about Eren.

"That's understandable what with all that work they dump on you kids these days. How'd school go today?"

"It was boring." She answered quickly.

He chuckled lightly and remarked that something's just never changed. The day they made school fun was the day they would stop eating rice in Japan.

Once Mikasa and Masani's plates were ready the family ate mostly in silence speaking with one another here and there about the small things. World events, Mikasa's school life, things Masani heard from the neighbors and pretty much anything that didn't involve her step father's job.

During the course of dinner Kabuyo told a few bad jokes Masani laughed at out of adoration and Mikasa laughed at because of the humorous atmosphere. Kabuyo offered to help his wife wash the dishes but she declined telling him he worked too hard as it was. Mikasa offered to help her mother wash the dishes and she took her up on that offer leaving for only a moment to help her husband out of his work clothes and into the hot bath that awaited him.

As Mikasa and her mother washed the dishes they both had the same wish. That the man in the tub upstairs could stay sober so they could sit and talk over dinner like this often, just like a family should.

After cleaning the kitchen fully Mikasa and her mother both went upstairs, Masani into the room with her husband and Mikasa into her own room. It had been a while since her step dad had come home completely sober and she was in an exceptionally good mood at the moment.

Without really thinking about what she was doing she picked up her phone and touched the last last number she'd called pressing the call button and placing the receiver to her ear. It rung twice, thrice, and another time and just as Mikasa was about to hang up she was greeted with an end to the ringer and a tired sounding hello.

She grinned into the receiver wanting to mess with him just because.

"I didn't interrupted your beauty sleep did I princess?"

Had anyone else said such a thing Eren would have frowned and asked them what they wanted, but since it was Mikasa he only grinned deciding to play with her a bit since that's what she intended to do with him.

"No..not my beauty sleep, but you did interrupt this really cool dream I was having."

"What kind of dream?" She asked curiously.

"I'd rather not say..but you were there. It was actually just me and you actually."

"Oh." Mikasa said attempting to fight the heat rising to her face.

 _"Even if I am attracted to him I don't see how he's able to make me blush so easy._ She said to herself wishing she had an off switch for it.

"Mikasa." He said in a slightly husky voice that only made her predicament worse.

"Y-yea Eren?"

"I meant to tell you when I woke you up in the park on Thursday, but you're really beautiful when you sleep."

The flame in her cheeks began spreading across her face and her brain struggled to form a reply.

"T-Thank you Eren."

"Mikasa." He said again this time in a low inviting whisper that brought a shiver up her spine.

"Y-yea?"

Eren was silent for a moment causing her to grow a bit anxious.

"What would you say was my best physical quality?"

She was somewhat surprised by the question but she knew immediately what she thought it was. "Your eyes." She answered wondering why he'd asked.

"That's only because you haven't seen all of me." He grinned knowing if her face hadn't been hot before it was now.

"Don't be lewd Eren." She quickly chastised earning herself a chuckle.

"Who said I was talking about that? I could've just been talking about my abs or something. You have a dirty mind Mikasa."

"No I don't!" She denied before realizing what he'd just done. "You set me up for that didn't you?"

"Whatever do you mean? I'm too innocent to do such deceitful things. I'm just a nice guy with a bad reputation remember?"

"More like an ass who's too clever for his own good."

"I take that as a compliment." He said smirking through the phone.

"Mhmm." She sounded having expected he would. "So since I told you what I thought was yours what do you think is my best physical quality?" She asked unable to help herself.

Eren was surprised at the question but he saw opportunity in answering it.

That's a really hard one to answer considering you have so many of them." He said taking the time to think about what he should say for a moment.

He figured she'd likely appreciate something deep so he decided to go about answering the question in a way that Armin might.

"Your eyes are like clouds of dark grey that hide all your secrets from the world. It's like they cage the dim vibrance struggling for life inside your soul..but every once in a while it gets through anyway and the light it brings makes them shine like moon light reflected through a crystal in a dark room."

Mikasa's breath caught in her throat at Eren's description of her eyes which she'd always thought looked rather plan and even somewhat intimidating thanks to their dark color. Once again as seemed to be a frequent occurrence when Eren was involved, Mikasa was at a lose for words.

Eren was in all honesty just as surprised as she was, but needless to say he was pleased with himself and his answer. He hadn't expected his reply to actually sound so deep, like something he'd actually put prior thought into, which he came to realize he actually had. He hadn't formulated a quickly conjured answer but he'd just allowed the voice within himself to speak, and boy could it be deep.

 _"Armin would be proud."_ He thought grinning to himself.

"Mikasa?" He called when the girl remained silent for another moment.

"Y-yea..sorry, I'm still here. Your answer just kind of.."

 _"Blew my socks off."_

"-surprised me."

"I'm full of surprises." He remarked eliciting a smile from the girl on the other end of the phone call.

"Yes you are."

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

"Thank you, have a nice day." The cashier said thanking the brawny guy who simply turned and walked without so much as a gesture or a nod of acknowledgement after he picked up his change

 _"I might as well be a doormat to some of you peasants. Douchebag."_ He sneered at the guys back.

A few moments after the douchebags departure the clerk was done going through the usual feelings of hatred he had for working in a convenience store at thirty two. He'd already come to the conclusion that such was the consequence of the lack of motivation he felt towards looking for anything better out if life.

He considered himself a none flighty person. Enough to scape by was enough for him as long as he kept his WiFi on for online gaming of course.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

The perceived douchebag rounded the corner and ran straight into a guy with the coldest eyes he'd ever seen. Usually he would've just stepped to the side and passed them but everything about the guy from the way he was looking at him to his aura said intent.

"I'm supposed to know you or something shorty?" Douchebag said looking down at the guy who looked to obviously have a problem with him.

"Is this him?" The guy said to no one.

."Why look at the picture you left me when I know you're going to be watching me right now anyway?"

"...Shut up stupid glasses."

"What the hell? Is this guy foreal?"

"Hey buddy!" Douchebag exclaimed puffing his chest out and looking down at the guy in front of him threateningly. He knew it was a mistake when the guys gaze just went from cold to absolutely chilling.

"It's considered rude to interrupt someone's conversation you know."

The stranger shifted and a kick that came too fast for Douchebag to see caught him square in the side of the head knocking him off his feet and out of consciousness before he had the chance to know what happened.

"Stupid asshole." Levi thought figuring he might as well had taught the douchebag a lesson.

He looked at the guys crumpled form and was reminded of something annoying.

"So is this the guy or not?"

"I would have known if you would have told me by now."

"He was loud...and rude."

... The voice on the other end laughed.

He sighed.

"I wish I could kill you sometimes." Levi admitted not for the first time.

 **And that's a wrap! Got this chapter out sooner than the last one as promised and we hope you guys like it. The parts of Sanji's dialogue that were left out down below.**

 **Shy:** All the shippers ship Levi and Petra but I've always liked both pairings equally. As the story goes on try to guess who will be Levi's flame in the end.

 **Kasuf:** I feel like we could have did better.

 **Al Kabir:** So now he's a perfectionist.

 **Kasuf:** I'm a lot of things.

 **Al Kabir:** Just happy I finally get to write my own notes.

"Is this him?" The guy said to no one.

... (You didn't look at my picture?!)

."Why look at the picture you left me when I know you're going to be watching me right now anyway?"

... (Because looking at the picture would have been the smart thing to do so you could avoid asking me this question.) She countered facetiously.

"...Shut up stupid glasses."

 _"Is this guy foreal?"_ The brawny man who upset the convent store thought wondering who the hell this guy thought he was to talk about him like he wasn't there.

"Hey buddy!" Douchebag exclaimed puffing his chest out and looking down at the guy in front of him threateningly. He knew it was a mistake when the guys gaze just went from cold to absolutely chilling.

"It's considered rude to interrupt someone's conversation you know."

The stranger shifted and a kick that came too fast for Douchebag to see caught him square in the side of the head knocking him off his feet and out of consciousness before he had the chance to know what happened.

 _"Stupid asshole."_ Levi thought figuring he might as well had taught the douchebag a lesson.

He looked at the guys crumpled form and was reminded of something annoying.

"So is this the guy or not?"

... (How is it you still don't know?)

"I would have known if you would have told me by now."

... (Well if you didn't know how come you knocked him out like that?)

"He was loud...and rude."

... (You're a bully Levi.) The voice on the other end laughed.

He sighed.

... (You know, someone's gonna come along and beat you up one day.) The voice teased.

"I wish I could kill you sometimes." Levi admitted not for the first time.

 **Until next time**


	4. Dreams

**10K words, yaay! We were expecting to get no more than 5K out of this chapter. As always we hope you guys will enjoy it, and if not please let us know where it fell short. Kasuf may be somewhat indifferent towards favs follows and reviews but I really appreciate them! -Shy**

 _Dreams_

 **10K Words**

Mikasa didn't really consider herself a morning person but when she did wake up in the morning she had no trouble finding the energy she needed to go about her day. Sometimes she just needed a minute or two to lay in bed and she would be fine.

Turning over on her side the third year junior high student was frazzled out of her moment of bliss as the voice of a certain boy she'd meant recently breathed a drowsy sounding 'Hey Mikasa' directly into her ear.

She quickly did a full sweep of the room before realizing it'd been her phone his voice came through.

A bit startled that Eren hadn't deemed to hang up after waking up and a bit embarrassed as well she picked up the phone placing the receiver to her ear only to find her ear greeted with a belt of laughter.

"You were totally looking around your room for me just now weren't you?"

Mikasa flushed and remarked that it wasn't funny before wondering which one of them had fallen asleep first.

"Sorry." Eren uncharacteristically apologized. "Couldn't help myself."

Mikasa internally groaned realizing she couldn't stay mad at him for long. Especially not when he spoke to her in that husky voice that accompanied the haze of sleep.

"It's fine I guess. How long have you been been up?"

"Probably about five minutes or something. I like just laying in bed a for a short spat before I get my day started. I heard you shift and I figured you were waking up."

"Oh... But why are you up so early?"

"Scouts gotta be up early."

"Oh.. But I thought the boogeyman only came out at night?"

"I'm versatile. I do holiday's too."

"Well with work ethic like that it's no wonder you're always late to school."

Eren laughed. "I can afford to be a little tardy sometimes. It not like anyone's keeping track of what time I show up."

This time it was Mikasa's turn to laugh. "They kind of are Eren. It's called taking attendance."

"Details." He cooly replied. "Life isn't for stressing over the little things."

"Our education isn't a small matter though Yeager." She protested earning herself only a shrug and an air of indifference she could almost feel through the small device against her ear.

"Who fell asleep first, you or me?"

"I did." She answered idly twirling her fingers through a small lock of hair. "At least I think, I'm not really sure. How did you sleep Mr Boogeyman?"

"I don't know. I was kind of unconscious so I couldn't tell you."

"Do you have nightmares?"

The silence that came after her question was all she needed to know her question struck true.

"How did you know that?"

"I feel like I heard you tossing and turning in my sleep, and usually people don't move around much when their sleeping unless they're uncomfortable or having a bad dream."

"Yeah I have nightmares."

"Oh.." Mikasa replied not really knowing what to say. She hadn't expected him to be so straight forward about it.

"I wasn't screaming or crying in your ear was I?" Eren asked half seriously.

"I didn't know the boogeyman was capable of tears."

The scouts grin returned as the topic became light again.

"Anyone's capable of tears if you give them the right reason to cry."

Mikasa sat up feeling interested as to what could ever make someone like Eren scream or cry in his sleep.

"And what is it that makes you cry?"

"You're asking what I was dreaming about last night that had me tossing and turning right?"

Mikasa nodded her head before remembering they were on the phone and he couldn't see it.

"Yea, but I don't mind if you don't want to tell me. Everyone's entitled to there privacy."

"But what if I did want to tell you?"

"I...I would feel grateful you trusted me enough to share something like that."

"Are you blushing because I trust you?"

"No." She replied a little too quickly with a bit too much force.

Eren chuckled in her ear and she continued to play with the lock of hair she had wrapped around and between her fingers.

"Well the dreams that usually wake me up screaming are the ones where I just finished taking a number two and I find out there's no toilet paper. The ones I have that make me cry usually revolve around me being in school and getting slapped with a pop quiz."

Eren could tell Mikasa was frowning and it took all his will power to keep from laughing.

"Not funny Eren."

"I agree with you one hundred percent on that. There's nothing worse than finding out there's no toilet paper after you've already done your business."

Despite herself Mikasa laughed a bit even if she was disappointed he hadn't trusted her enough to tell him what his nightmare had really been about. That or maybe he just didn't want to talk about it.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you talk in your sleep?" Eren queried.

"My mother told me, but she's never able to understand what it is I'm talking about. You didn't have any luck with interpretation did you?"

Eren shook his head although she couldn't see it. "You were mostly just groaning and saying names."

"What names? Did I say any you would recognize?" Mikasa asked highly curious.

"Only one." Eren grinned.

 _'Oh no..'_

"Please don't tell me-"

"So do you dream about me often or is this something new?"

"If I said your name while I was sleeping U was probably experiencing something closer to a nightmare than a dream."

"Well it didn't really sound like a nightmare to me." Eren paused for a moment. "So what were you dreaming about anyway?"

Mikasa didn't know how to answer that question so she decided to answer it honestly.

"Death."

Eren raised an eyebrow at her cryptic answer.

"Death?"

"Mhm."

The scout was silent for a moment as he wondered if she was being serious or not.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. I don't know why but I just have these weird nightmares sometimes. I'm always in some old kind of town or something surrounded by dead people."

Eren sat up in his bed and stretched feeling the remnants of his fatigue ebb away as he was pulled in by Mikasa's story.

"There are these soldier like people leaping from the roofs and I'm supposed to be one of them, but throughout the dream I can never really focus on fighting what we're supposed to be fighting. I just keep looking for something or someone like my life depends on it, but for some reason I can never find them."

"What is it you're supposed to be fighting in those dreams?" Eren quipped wondering if she'd just watched too many action movies or something.

"I don't know. These giant human like creatures who eat people."

Eren's didn't know why but his face went from thoughtful to slightly angery at the mention of giant creatures eating people.

"It sounds like those things need to be killed then." He said with a serious edge to his voice before it became casual again. "Next time you have that dream try to focus less on finding your boyfriend and do your job."

Mikasa laughed a bit and blushed at the thought of herself chasing a boy as feverntly as she chased whatever it was she was after in her dream.

"I don't have a boyfriend so that eliminates the possibility that that's what I'm chasing."

"Well I mean you did say my name in your sleep so maybe-"

"In your dreams Yeager."

Eren grinned wishing her could see her face at the moment.

"In yours actually Ackerman."

Mikasa chuckled a bit despite herself.

"Why didn't you hang up when you woke up?" She quipped needing to satisfy her curiousity.

"Can you hear me shrugging my shoulders?"

Mikasa resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his reply because she didn't do that often.

"So you're saying you don't know?"

"Why didn't you hang up when you woke up and heard me having a nightmare?"

"Because I thought you could use some form of comfort like another presence on the other end or something, I don't know. I didn't want to just hang up on you like that." Mikasa said a bit timidly, somewhat embarrassed by her honest reply.

A silence passed between the two leaving Mikasa thinking he might have thought she was weird for that, but in all actuality Eren was grateful, he just didn't know how to put his gratitude into words.

"Thank you." He said in the easiest way he could manage.

"Y..you're welcome."

Eren smiled again as he could tell she was slightly flustered, but he decided not to tease her for it this time.

"So you want to help me with my homework before we go out on our date later?" He queried easily steering the conversation towards new territory.

Mikasa smiled finding she was happy just to be talking to the scout at the moment.

"If by help you with your homework you mean giving you all the answers then no."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"Ugly no."

"I'm not ugly."

"I didn't say you were."

Eren raised an eyebrow.

"So you find me handsome?"

"I didn't say that either."

"But I'm not ugly?"

"I didn't say that either."

"I'll tell you my opinion of you if you tell me yours."

Mikasa laughed at the offer. "We aren't curious kids in kindergarten Eren."

"So I shouldn't pick on you and stick gum in your hair because I think you're cute?"

Mikasa grinned and her face warmed again although to a lesser extent this time.

"If you put gum in my hair the world is going to find itself short one boogeyman."

"Oh really?"

"Really."

"I think you're bluffing."

"Try me."

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Eren looked up from his phone for what had to have been the tenth time in the past two minutes. He saw the same scene and the same faces he'd already glimpsed before.

He groaned a bit before returning his attention to the mobile device in his hand. If there was one thing he really hated besides Titans it was waiting. Looking at the scout you would never assume he'd be the one to show up on time while his date was running late.

 _'There's no way she would stand me up is there?'_ Eren asked himself trying to ignore the sound of everyone else around him having a good time. _'I doubt Mikasa would do that. She would have at least cancelled or told me she didn't want to come.'_

He rested his chin in the palm of his right hand and began drumming the fingers from his left against the table.

 _'Those two look like they're having fun.'_ He remarked to himself upon catching sight of a couple who just couldn't seem to stop laughing with one another for whatever reason.

Caught up in his own thoughts he didn't notice the figure approaching his table until it was right in front of him clearing it's throat.

Eren's eyes narrowed and he kept his gaze on the couple a moment longer before turning around to address the waiter or waitress who'd attempted to gain his attention in such a rude way.

What he was meant with instead of cafe staff was a curious looking Mikasa who looked towards the couple a short ways away before turning back towards him.

"Jealous?" She asked before pulling out a chair and sitting down across from him.

Instead of answering Mikasa's question Eren did a double take, blinking his eyes and looking at her again. Mikasa was thankful for the thin layer of blush her mother insisted she wear on her cheeks. It was likely doing a good job of keeping her real blush unnoticed.

"I look okay right?" She questioned nervously.

She usually didn't dress like this so all the looks she'd gotten on her way here only served to jumble her nerves. Mikasa wasn't used to people sparing her more than a short glance, so it unnerved her when they stared.

"Definitely." Eren supplied still a bit flabbergasted at her transformation.

Mikasa kept her gaze on the table finding Eren's gaze a little too intense at the moment. She was glad to see he actually liked her outfit and she would have to thank Kamori and her mother later, even though she hated the fact that they'd made her late just to apply some makeup she felt like she didn't really need.

Then again Eren seemed to be taken with her appearance so maybe it was worth it.

Her outfit was rather simple, or as simple as her self appointed stylist would allow. It wasn't too much for a casual date with a boy she'd just meant, but it wasn't so little that it'd seem like she didn't care what kind of impression she might make.

The shirt she wore was a stripped red and black flutter sleeve with a V neck cut. Her skirt was just a regular black skirt that stopped midway up her thighs. On her feet was a black pair of open toed flats that showed off a pair of perfectly manicured and polished red toe nails.

In her ears was a pair of studded diamonds ear rings her excited best friend let her borrow since she had none, and on her lips was a thin coat a feint cherry red lip bomb her mother insisted in her wearing. She hadn't really objected to the eye liner which made her stormy grey irises stand out even more so than usual.

Eren hadn't been expecting her to actually dress up like this for the occasion and he was at a lose for words. He'd been expecting something casual like jeans and a T shirt. With just a different set of clothes and a bit of makeup Mikasa went from looking like a plan and unimpressive school girl to something right out of a magazine or a fashion show.

After what had to have been around least eight seconds of just staring he realized he hadn't said anything yet.

"Uhm...sorry.. I kind of spaced out for a second."

"I-it's fine." Mikasa replied keeping her eyes focused on the table.

Eren observed her for another moment before adopting a grin.

"You're blushing right now aren't you?" He asked tilting his head to get a better view of her face.

"No!" She denied feeling her face betray her more as she lied.

Eren but sat back in his chair and decided not to pursue the subject. Mikasa snuck a glance at the couple he had been looking at when she entered and wondered what he'd found so interesting about them.

"Hey Eren." She called feeling herself flush again and turn back towards the couple. "How come you were staring at the couple a few tables down?" She asked without looking at him.

When she'd turned to ask him about the couple he'd been watching she realized he'd still been staring at her like he'd been when she arrived.

"I was bored." He answered truthfully wondering if he should call the waiter over now or wait for him to make his way towards them. "Why'd you think I was staring at them Mikasa?"

She shrugged her shoulders having not thought that deeply about it.

"Maybe you were jealous they look like they're having such a good time when your date had yet to arrive." She teased feeling comfortable now that they were talking.

Eren raised an eyebrow at her comment. "Did you look at a mirror before you left the house?"

Mikasa's smile evaporated as she grew self conscious all over again. Before she could answer his question though Eren continued.

"If you did you wouldn't have asked me if I was jealous of those two." He said pointing a thumb in the direction of the couple who had no idea they were the object of the young couples attention. "Kind of hard for a guy to be jealous of anything when his date looks like something out of a dream."

Mikasa's felt herself blush at full force but she didn't turn away as she resolved not to do when he said or did something that made her blush.

"Thanks.. but really I don't look any different from how I do usually. It's probably just the makeup."

Eren didn't know if she was selling herself short or fishing for more compliments but he knew without a shadow of a doubt it wasn't just the makeup. In school Mikasa wore the standard girls uniform which consisted of a loose fitting button up shirt covered by a blazer, a rather baggy skirt that covered most of her legs, heavy brown loafers, no makeup, and a stoic expression that said don't approach me.

In essence she always just appeared to be a plan girl who didn't want friends or take interest in the things girls around her age would usually. At the moment though she was dressed in a way that was made to draw attention, wearing an expression of nervous anticipation.

Like the moonlight had done on the night they meant, her state of dress revealed to the world just how beautiful Mikasa really was underneath all the plan clothing.

"I wouldn't sell myself short if I were you."

Mikasa looked at him bemusedly.

"Why not?"

This time it was Eren's turn to look confused at her question. "Because you're beautiful? Don't ask stupid questions Mikasa."

Mikasa cursed herself as she looked at the table to avoid his gaze again like she'd resolved not to do when she became slightly flustered. _'Why does Eren make me so nervous?'_

"There's no such thing as a stupid question, and thank you. You look nice too." She said before adopting a smile and looking back up. "I almost expected you to show up late wearing a bunch of leather or something."

"Really? I didn't know you were into those kinds of guys but I did always know you had a thing for bad boys."

"I'm not and I don't. I just thought you'd go for the unapproachable gangster type of look."

"Oh so I don't look like a gangster?" The scout said faking offense and adopting a look of betrayal.

Mikasa chuckled into her hand before shaking her head and looking him over again.

Eren was wearing a pair of faded black jeans, a short sleeved black polo shirt with a sea green polo horse and some black and sea green shoes. She wondered if he knew the sea green in his shoes was the same sea green in his eyes. Maybe the colored reminded him of the eyes of someone in his family?

Mikasa smiled at him softly unaware of why she always felt such warm feelings towards the scout. She'd just meant him a short while ago so why did she feel like they were so close?

"Fortunately for me you don't look like a gangster, but you do look really handsome. I hope this is how you dress all the time when you're away from school. I don't think the delinquent look would suit you more so than a casual way of dress does."

"I could pull it off." Eren said folding his arms and rocking back in his chair a bit. "I look good in black so that's already half the job right?"

"Aren't you forgetting about the tattoos and the piercings?"

A dismissive wave of his hand was the scouts immediate reply.

"Only posers go for that look. Real delinquents let their actions and their attitudes speak for them."

Mikasa raised an eyebrow at his tone of voice. "You make it seem like you're proud to be a delinquent?"

"What? Hell no. My mother would kill me if she were still here."

Eren adopted a sad smile and a far off look in his eyes before picking back up on the conversation.

"Anyway, I'm just proud not to be a poser. I can't really stand people who pretend to be something they aren't." He said trying to keep his mind away from the image of three traitors who'd done just that.

Mikasa turned over his words for a moment before nodding.

"That makes sense, and I didn't know you lost your mother. I'm really sorry to hear that. I lost my father awhile ago so I sort of know what you're going through."

To Mikasa's surprise Eren's demeanor didn't become cold and withdrawn but he smiled at her sympathetically.

"He must of been a good man to have had a hand in raising such a beautiful daughter."

Mikasa tilted her head slightly in confusion at his strange way of wording. "You mean he must have had good genetics to have had a hand in creating such a beautiful daughter?"

Eren shook his head no, giving way to more confusion on Mikasa's part.

"I never said I was talking about physical beauty. Maybe I'm talking about you in general. You know, as a person."

Mikasa was stunned silent for a moment before she blushed again and looked away despite her quickly crumbling resolve.

"You hardly really know me Eren. You can't just say I'm a beautiful person when it's hardly been a week since we meant."

"It's a free world so I can do whatever I want. Besides.. I'm usually a good judge of character."

Mikasa pursed her lips before developing a playful grin.

"Well what makes me a beautiful person then Eren?"

As Eren's lips pulled upwards into a sexy grin Mikasa's stomach did a backflip.

"The fact that you've been here like a whole five minutes now and you haven't even asked where our waiter or waitress is yet."

She raised an eyebrow before shaking her head and smiling in amusement.

"Five minutes isn't really a long waiting time."

"Says you. I don't really like waiting."

"Oh?" She cooed before adopting a teasing look. "So me showing up five minutes late bothered you?"

Eren thought about it for just a second before grinning across the table. "As a matter of fact it did, and you didn't even apologise for it."

"If I tried you'd probably just act like you couldn't hear me so I'd have to repeat myself anyway." She said referencing the night the night they meant.

Eren looked thoughtful for a moment before he grinned recalling the memory of what she was speaking about. He shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth to reply but before he could a waiter stopped at their table and greeted them both before handing them a menu and saying he would be back soon.

"Order whatever you want." Eren said not bothering to pick up his menu.

His mother used to always bring him and Armin here when they we're younger so he knew exactly what he wanted to order. Mikasa looked ready to refuse his offer when he told her she could order anything but one look in his direction let her know he wouldn't be having that.

Deciding that there was no point in fighting a lose battle she lifted her menu and began to browse the cafe's selection. After deciding what she wanted she laid the menu down and looked towards Eren who was looking through the cafe's window.

She took a moment to study his profile while he wasn't looking and again she found herself drawn to his eyes. She didn't know why but those eyes just felt familiar like she wasn't just getting used to seeing them. Mikasa's felt like she'd been gazing into Eren's eyes for a lifetime.

She told herself to turn away before he noticed her staring but she couldn't. Her brain kept telling her head to turn and her eyes to look away but neither were willing to listen and she really couldn't blame them. Eren looked really good in all black.

Sure enough he turned and noticed her staring and she was unable to look away in time, blushing as she realized she'd been caught like a dear in the headlights.

Eren grinned and her heart did another backflip.

"Liking what you see Mikasa?"

"D-don't get ahead of yourself Yaeger." She said finally able to tear her gaze away.

"Am I getting ahead of myself though, or am I just calling it how I see it?"

"Obviously the first."

"Well I don't think so, but if it helps you feel better I'm definitely liking what I see too."

Mikasa looked up and caught him looking her over. Her cheeks grew darker and she looked down wishing the scout wasn't so attractive. If he was just a bit less handsome maybe he wouldn't have such an effect on her.

Their waiter returned soon and they both ordered their food and sat in silence. Eren was looking around and Mikasa was nervously playing with her fingers under the table.

"I don't bite you know."

Mikasa looked up and tilted her head slightly.

"What?"

Eren shrugged and leaned forward, placing his hand on the table with the palm facing upwards as if expecting something from her. Mikasa looked at the hand completely puzzled until she realized what he wanted.

She pulled one of her hands from underneath the table and placed it inside his with her palm facing upwards.

"Are you going to read my palm or something?"

Eren chuckled and shook his head no as he began using both his hands to turn hers over and examine it as if there was something interesting about it.

"I'm not a palm reader or anything. You just looked really nervous and I wanted to distract you somehow. You're not taking a test or anything so you can relax you know."

"Whoever said I was nervous? Maybe I'm just getting impatient."

Eren shot her a look that let her know he was nowhere near buying that statement.

"Well we both know that isn't true but why don't you just break the silence by asking me something easy."

"Something easy like what?" Mikasa questioned knowing there was a lot of things about his life Eren had no desire whatsoever to speak about.

"Something typical like how do you look or something."

"You already told me I looked okay when I asked you earlier."

"Oh... Well did I tell you my brain shut down for a few seconds when I saw you?"

Mikasa opened her mouth to reply but she didn't know what to say.

"Or that you had me at, "How about you don't lay on the ground in the middle of the park at night time like a homeless person!"

She chuckled at the memory that was still as fresh in her mind as it was the day it'd happened.

"And I was just smitten when you yelled at me to watch where the hell I was going next time. Such a nice way to treat a lady."

Eren resisted the urge to laugh and just shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just talking to your foot."

"I don't think I appreciate you talking to my foot like that Eren."

"I don't think my ribs appreciate your foot introducing itself like that Mikasa."

"I don't think I appreciate being told to watch where the heck I was going."

"I don't think I appreciate being called homeless and dumb in the same night."

Mikasa folded her arms and leaned back into her chair with a smirk.

"Well you did get a date out of it so..."

Eren mimicked her action and the couple a few tables away that they'd been watching earlier was now focused on them and the way they were looking at each other. It was a look one would spare a respected adversary or a friendly rival. They whispered to each other about how cute they were together and how they reminded them of themselves when they were younger.

"So if I let you kick me again and call me stupid some more what do I get out of the deal?" Eren queried wondering if they could come to form another deal of some kind.

"Nothing you haven't gotten already Yeager." Mikasa said grinning as she half deflected the scouts low key proposal for another kind of deal between them." Maybe another date, or possibly my email address."

"What would I need your email address for? That's for teachers and people on the student council."

"I was thinking maybe I could help you with your homework since I'm sure terrorizing people doesn't leave the boogeyman with much time to study."

Eren looked surprised and truth be told Mikasa was a bit surprised herself. The only person she helped to study or do homework was Kamori. It'd slipped out before she was even aware the idea crossed her mind.

"You're offering to help me with my homework?" He asked looking at her skeptically.

Mikasa nodded feeling an all too familiar heat rise within her cheeks.

"Mhm." Came her reply.

Eren continued to look at her for a moment before he smiled.

"I'd like that..but I don't have to let you step on my rib cage again in exchange right?"

Mikasa's smirk returned much to the scouts dismay.

"Oh Eren... Don't you know that all good things must come with sacrifice?"

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Once the food came and went Eren paid for the meal and to Mikasa's surprise he'd even tipped the waiter. She'd made fun of him about that, saying that the boogeyman must be going soft. He only scoffed and smirked at the statement but otherwise gave no reply.

The two were currently sitting on a park bench watching a group of kids around their age playing what looked like ultimate Frisbee. Eren wished he could join them but he thought that'd be rude to Mikasa so he was content with just watching the group play at the moment.

Mikasa seemed just as content to watch as he was as she hadn't said anything since they'd parked themselves on the bench and began watching the game.

"That looks really fun." She said breaking the silence after a while.

"I bet it is but those guys don't look like they're too good at it."

"You've played before?" Mikasa said turning towards Eren curiously.

"No, but it doesn't look that hard."

Mikasa made a sound of disagreement and Eren looked at her curiously.

"Just because something looks easy doesn't mean it is."

"Not always, but in this case it probably is as easy as it looks. I bet a nerd like you could even be good at it."

Mikasa's eyes frowned at Eren but her lips were smiling.

"Well I'd probably be better than a charming neanderthal like yourself."

"Oh?" Eren said sitting up and smirking at his date. "That sounds like a challenge."

Mikasa suddenly grew timid and wide eyed at the scouts suggestion.

"No! I just got a bit too carried away in our banter. I'm not really any good at sports."

"But you're a straight A student right?"

Mikasa nodded her head unaware of what getting straight A's in every subject had to do with being good at ultimate Frisbee.

"Then that means you have an A in gym class too." Eren said with a grin before grabbing her hand.

Mikasa was stunned at first and she didn't know how to react to Eren grabbing her hand. When he started to gently pull her in the direction of the frisbee group she quickly pulled her hand out of his and stepped back. Eren turned towards her with a question in his eyes.

Mikasa avoided his eyes feeling pathetic at backing down from a challenge. Even so she would rather be seen as a quitter of sorts than to embarrass herself out there on the field.

"Really I'm no good at sports... I just get an A in gym class for effort."

Eren snorted and stepped forward retrieving her hand. Mikasa continued to avoid his gaze and blushed a bit as she wondered if all boys had hands that felt this warm.

"No one gets an A in gym class for effort alone, physical education teachers aren't that nice. I'll ask them to put us on the same team so we can help each other out, cool?"

Mikasa looked up and her eyes were meant with a reassuring smile she couldn't help but feel confident in herself looking at. She smiled and turned her eyes away from his face again nodding her consent as her ears began to grow a bit warm as well. So much for her resolution not to avoid eye contact when she was feeling flustered.

"Sweet." Eren chirped before they continued towards the group that was just now pausing and taking a breather.

Once they were in front of them Eren asked if it was okay if he and his girlfriend joined their game to which Mikasa blushed heavily. He could've just said date but he'd decided to go the extra mile for whatever reason.

The group seemed more than willing to let them join but one boy pointed towards Mikasa and questioned how she was supposed to play alongside them while wearing a skirt.

Mikasa lifted her skirt slightly to show the boys a pair of dark spats she'd decided to wear underneath since she wasn't really used to wearing skirts aside from the one that went with her school uniform.

When she let her skirt fall over her legs again and looked back up she found all the gathered frisbee players, and even Eren wearing a blush. She'd been confused for just a second till she realized why and her face quickly grew the reddest out of everyone's on the field.

A number of the frisbee players all looked towards Eren envious of his position as her boyfriend. They figured if they had girlfriends who were into ultimate frisbee and had legs like that they'd all be married already regardless of being so young.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have really great legs Mikasa?" The scout said earning nodes of agreement from the others.

Mikasa's blush intensified and she attempted to tell the scout to shut up but she couldn't find the words so she settled for a glare that was only half serious.

"You're adorable when you frown while your face is all red like that."

Again he received nodes of agreement from the group of ultimate frisbee players making Mikasa feel like she was out numbered.

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o**

The teams were decided with Eren and Mikasa being on the red team with five members while blue team sported the same amount.

Eren had requested that the others take it easy on Mikasa as she wasn't into sports and they all agreed easily having already told themselves that they wouldn't take the shy looking girl too seriously.

The rules were explained and everyone lined up at the very front of their own teams in zone with Eren taking a ready stance beside a nervous looking Mikasa.

The guy who'd decided to act as a referee flipped a coin and it landed heads in favor of the blue team.

A whistle was blown signaling they could start and red teams players began barreling up field as blue team did the same from their end.

Blue teams captain hurled the frisbee up field into the waiting arms of a player who took two steps before coming to a stop in front of Eren who gave him the space required by the rules but stayed close enough to still pose a threat. He hurled the frisbee over the scouts head to another team mate who caught it and took three steps before hurling the frisbee up field to someone else.

In an impressive display of speed and agility Mikasa broke away from the guy she was defending and cleared the distance between her and the intended reciever, intercepting the flying disk before he had the chance to see her coming, and shocking everyone who'd bore witness to what just happened.

Wasting no time Mikasa quickly spun on her heels and hurled the disk down field in her captain's direction. The brawny guy caught the frisbee before taking two steps and hurling it to another one of their teammates who didn't move fast enough and ended up allowing the disc to be intercepted by a blue team player who threw it to his closest teammate immediately.

The guy who caught it wasted no time hurling it towards his teammate in the in zone. The guy quickly veered towards the right and drove to grab the disc before it could touch the ground.

"Alright blue team! First point goes to the winners!" The captain shouted earning cheers of agreement from his teammates.

Most of the players on the red team just scoffed and everyone reset positions.

Red team not wanting to fall behind pulled no punches or throws and quickly moved the frisbee up the field with blue team doing their best to apply pressure.

Eren managed to just barely slip past his defender and make a dive for the frisbee as it came towards him. A blue team player who'd had his eye on the scout broke away from the guy he was defending to intercept the disc and hurl it back towards their end of the field. Eren swore and was about to take off back down the field until he was stopped as he saw Mikasa barrel across the field and intercept the frisbee before it could even touch enemy hands.

She somehow managed to only take one step and steady herself before taking one more step forward as she turned and hurled the disc up the field. Eren quickly backed into the in zone and easily caught the frisbee that sailed towards him.

The players from both teams all turned in her direction, red team looking genuinely surprised and pleased to have such an athletic player while blue team looked surprised as well before nodding their heads in unison with one another as if deciding from this point they would take her seriously.

Mikasa grinned and lined up next to Eren making a bet with him that she would be the one to score them the game winning point since she seemed to be good at this.

 **0o0o0o0o0o**

Down field close to the scoring post a red team player held his hands out and shouted that he was open.

Eren saw Mikasa pull her arm back as he was making a move to get open. He thought there to be no way a girl like Mikasa could throw that far down field. He'd barely be able to make that throw himself so there was no way Mikasa could.

She brought her arm forward and let the frisbee fly and a few jaws dropped at the speed in which it flew down the field. Her intended target looked just as surprised as everyone else, but he held his hands out and actually managed to catch the spinning disk shaking his hand a bit at the pain of the impact.

All eyes turned towards Mikasa who was grinning widely at having scored yet another point. She didn't even notice the attention till she wondered why they had yet to put the frisbee back into play.

"That girls a robot. You guys are only winning because she's fast enough to intercept any long range throws!" Blue teams leader said earning nodes from his teammates.

Most of Red team began grinning and jeering at them about complaints about getting beaten by a girl while Eren just looked at Mikasa more than dumbfounded at the athleticism she was showing.

You'd think she was a nerd in school, you'd think she was on the fast track to a modeling career when she dressed up for a date, and you'd think she was an athlete when you saw her in action which was crazy considering she said she wasn't big on sports. He didn't really know what to think. Mikasa was a puzzle that much was for certain.

Out the corner of her eyes she caught him staring and blushed lightly wondering if he was into girls who were good at sports. Maybe she was doing too good and she should slow down some since guys didn't like girls with greater physicality than them, right? Eren was doing good but it was pretty obvious that Mikasa was currently the best offensive and defensive player on the field. She spared him a full glance and he smiled encouragingly at her when she caught his eye.

Mikasa felt her heart swell and figured either he didn't really care or he approved of her performance.

A few more drives later and the captains of their respective teams were going at it.

"You guys said she wasn't into sports!"

"I didn't say that her boyfriend did! You aren't mad cause you're getting whooped on are you!? It's just a game bro!"

"A game you guys have to cheat and bring in outside players for! Those two could be your cousins or some pro athletes you hired to help you finally get a win for all I know!"

"Don't sit there and make up stories because you're a sore loser!"

"Who the hell you calling a loser!? I'll kick your sorry ass out here on this football field Sanjuro!"

Eren snickered on the sidelines as that last line reminded him of a conversation he had with a certain auburn haired prick not too long ago.

"Don't play tough and dig yourself into a hole you can't get out of Miashi. This foot will go so far up your ass it'll have you tasting the bottom of my shoe for a week."

"Oh yea? Come at me bro!" Sanjuro jeered stepping closer to the other captain and shoving at him.

Miashi tried talking his friend down but after being shoved one too many times he just decked Sanjuro on the chin and the two began fighting as everyone else stood there and observed.

'I could take both of them at the same time.' Eren mused to himself before Mikasa asked the others why they weren't making any move to break it up.

"They do this all the time, just let them fight it out."

Eventually the guys did stop fighting and they just took a moment to glare at one another before coaxing their teams back into position like nothing had ever happened.

A whistle was blown soon after everyone got in their rightful positions and blue team began coming up the field with all the energy of an army that felt the need to redeem themselves.

The frisbee was thrown and the guy that received it quickly found himself boxed in by Mikasa and Eren who both traded quick looks of amusement. The guy threw the frisbee and blue team continued their march up the field scouring a point and jeering that they didn't need a secret weapon in the form of a high school girl because they had style.

Mikasa had never seen the point in trash talk but she found it rather amusing when the guys on her and Eren's team began remarking that the only thing they would be doing with style was getting slaughtered and licking their wounds.

The game picked up again with both teams going back and forth for the most part although blue team began pulling ahead in the end. Mikasa ended the game out with a play that was sure to go down in the history books.

As she neared the end of the field she found herself facing off against a dude that looked like he'd be better suited to be somebody's hardcore fitness couch rather than an ultimate frisbee player. She knew there was no way she was getting pass this guy so she did the next best thing. She continued running towards the guy at full speed before shouting for the current frisbee holder which just so happened to be Eren to throw it.

Counting on the unpredictability of the move, and her speed she dropped to the ground in a slide and passed right under his legs. Completely taken off guard and surprised at her move the big guy took his eyes off the prize for just a second and the frisbee wizzed right pass his head and into her hands.

"That's game point right?" She'd questioned right before her teammates began cheering loudly and jeering at the other team who was just as loudly calling for a rematch.

Mikasa felt a bit embarrassed when the other people in the park turned towards them and even more so when both teams began heaping her with a mountain of praise for that last move some of blue teams players claimed should be illegal.

After the game she and Eren both went to a local slushy stand and grabbed two slushy's before making their way back towards the park and sitting down on a bench that was currently unoccupied.

"So you're like an ultimate frisbee champion now." Eren said taking a break from his slushy.

Mikasa laughed a bit and waved him off not seeing it that way.

"We only won by two points Eren, and the entire Red team won not just me. That makes everyone on the team a champion."

"Stop being so modest. We both know you were the only person on the team who could've scored the final point like you did. They even put their biggest guy on you and it still wasn't enough."

Mikasa flushed slightly and continued sipping her slushy seeing no way to deny that statement.

"So since when were you so athletic? I thought you were just a book worm."

"I am. I'm not usually good at sports but I guess this one appealed to ne a bit so I did better than usual." She said looking towards the setting sun in the distance before looking back towards her now dirt and grass stained skirt.

'Kamori is going to kill me for this.'

"Sorry about your skirt." Eren commented after following her eyes. "I honestly wasn't thinking about that when I suggested we play ultimate frisbee." He said rubbing at the back of his neck and not really looking at her.

Mikasa looked up curiously and saw a small bit of color doting his cheeks before she completely reddened and looked away as well.

"Are you...are you into girls who're good at sports Eren?"

Eren turned his head back towards her and grinned a bit.

"You still trying to figure out why I asked you out or just making small talk?"

"A little bit of both?" Mikasa admitted. "I think you'll get tired of me eventually. Knowing what kind of girls you usually date will give me an idea of how soon it'll happen."

"I hardly really know you but I know you aren't like any other girl I've ever meant before. There's something special about you, and you're my type anyway. I like introverts so you doubt you have to worry about me getting tired of you just because you're the quiet and reserved

usually."

Mikasa's blush grew even more pronounced and she couldn't help but chuckle a bit before smiling warmly at Eren.

"Damn you for constantly making me blush Yeager."

"Sorry about that. I just might be too charming for my own good. How's about a kiss though? I'm pretty sure just one peck would make you more comfortable around me."

"Dream on Yeager. I like you but I just meant you."

"Rejected." The scout said wincing before turning back towards the sun they'd been watching set in silence a few moments ago.

Mikasa silently laughed before leaning forward and placing a kiss on his cheek and returning her attention to her slushy.

"I really had fun with you today Eren. I'm glad you asked me out and I'm really glad I accepted."

For some reason Eren felt like the brief kiss Mikasa graced him with was leagues better than nearly any other kiss he could recall. He was still a bit stuck on the feeling of her lips touching his skin so it took him a second longer to reply than it would have usually.

"I am too... And to think all I had to do was give up cigarettes for a few days. It was hard but it was worth it."

Mikasa serene expression became one of shock having honestly forgotten about that. "You really haven't had one of those things since Thursday?"

"Yeah, that was the deal wasn't it?"

"Uhh...yeah.." She said looking away from his face in a hurry.

Eren turned towards Mikasa and realized she hadn't honestly expected him to make good on their deal.

"So you mean to tell me I could have been smoking this entire time and you would have still went out with me?"

"Maybe." She said grinning and holding back a snicker. "I would of had no way of knowing after all."

Eren turned away from Mikasa uttering a curse and she couldn't keep herself from laughing.

"The pain you unnecessarily put me though for this date is not funny Mikasa."

She continued to laugh despite how he felt about it. Eren decided to give her something to laugh about and leaned towards her and jabbing both fingers into her sides.

Mikasa's laughter became rambunctious as she tried to squirm away from the boy who'd somehow managed to discover her one weakness.

"St-stop Eren! I-I'm ticklish!" She said between laughs.

"Yeah that's kind of the point." He said not letting up until her trying to slip away resulted in her falling off the bench.

Eren began laughing at her expense and Mikasa tried to frown but the smile was just refusing to leave her face.

She stood up and shoved Eren hard and his laughter came to an abrupt halt as he too slid off the bench. Now it was Mikasa's turn to laugh again and Eren could only grin as he stood up and promised her payback.

Mikasa noticing the look on his face quickly took off in the opposite direction with Eren tailing right behind her once again being surprised by the girls natural athleticism.

Noticing he was about to catch her she quickly ran behind a large oak tree and they began a short game of ring around the rosy where Eren would attempt to reach her by running around one side of the tree and Mikasa would skillfully evade him by running around the other.

Eventually he did manage to finally catch her but not in the way that he was expecting.

As he rounded the tree for the twentieth time his date caught him off guard by tackling him to the ground and jabbing at his sides as he'd done earlier. The scout attempted to throw her off but he was too busy laughing and swatting her hands away.

He did finally managed to reverse their positions and now Mikasa was the one on the ground laughing. Eren stopped tickling her after taking in the flush of her face and the raw beauty she possessed when a smile or a laugh touched upon her lips generating a natural around her that usually didn't exist. He quickly took noticed of the position they were in and was somewhat thankful Mikasa seemed not to notice as she continued to laugh beneath him.

Fighting the heat he felt growing on his own face along with the arousal that wasn't too far away from growing in his jeans Eren stood and held out a hand to Mikasa who was smiling as brightly as he'd ever seen before. She took his offer for help and let him pull her to her feet.

As her laughter ceased and they beheld one another, some of the mirth in her expression replaced by warmth. Eren's heart rate picked up and he swallowed wondering if it was too early to go in for a kiss. He'd had nerdy or introverted girlfriends before but none he felt as serious about as Mikasa.

His only serious relationship before this one had been Annie and she'd decked him the first time he worked up the balls to go in for a kiss. Mikasa likely wouldn't punch him but she might just reacquaint her foot with his rib cage when he wasn't looking.

"Eren?"

His eyes moved from her lips towards the rest of her face and to his surprise she wasn't smiling anymore. She was avoiding his gaze and blushing furiously but she didn't seem mad or anything.

"I've never kissed a person before.."

His eyes widened at that little parcel of information. She said she'd never went out with a boy before which meant she never had a boyfriend, but he'd have never assumed she'd never kissed anyone before. She'd obviously noticed he was staring at her lips and put two and two together.

"I-I don't wanna rush you or anything if you-"

Eren's words died in his throat when Mikasa stepped forward and pressed her lips to his in a kiss that halted his thought process immediately. Mikasa felt sparks alongside an ever increasing heat that built in her stomach and seemed to spread out to consume her entire being.

As their lips held that brief connection what felt like memories of a long forgotten past or something similar made themselves known. For Eren it was Mikasa's voice calling his name, only it sounded somewhat different than it did usually. It was colder and had much more of an edge to it, as if she'd seen much harder times than the current Mikasa. He heard other voices and he felt a number of emotions he was intimately familiar with, all of them were emotions he usually associated with the Titans and those who worked for them.

For Mikasa it hadn't been a voice, it'd been an image that made her heart ache for some reason. The image of a simple red scarf a boy who looked like a young Eren wrapped around her keeping the cold of the wooden cabin she didn't recognize but felt like she should at bay. Aside from feeling grief for some reason having to do with the cabin she felt number of feelings accompany the image. A feeling of being broken and alone till a warm scarf wrapped around her cold neck and a gentle voice reached her ears making her feel an all too familiar feeling of warmth she only associated with Eren.

When the two came back to their senses and separated there was a loan tear trailing down the side of Mikasa's face although she didn't realize it. Eren lifted his hand and wiped away the tear and the two just looked at each other in silence for a few moments.

"This connection we feel towards each other...it's real somehow isn't it Eren?"

The scout could only nod his head not really knowing what to make of the situation. What he did know was him and Mikasa had somehow known each other before all this and that whatever relationship they had with one another before, the Titans had been involved somehow.

"What did you see?" He asked knowing she'd seen or heard something.

"A scarf, a younger you, a wooden cabin I feel like I should've recognized."

Eren nodded concluding that his assumption was right and that he and Mikasa were definitely connected somehow.

"Maybe we should kiss again and see what else we see?"

Mikasa snickered at his suggestion before shaking her head. "Nice try Eren but I don't think I want to just go around giving those out. Really I just wanted to see what it'd feel like to kiss someone."

"And what did it feel like?" He quipped looking at her curiously.

Mikasa grew as red as he'd ever seen her and refused to meet his gaze. "It was...it was really nice."

"So why not kiss me again?" He said leaning closer only to be pushed back.

"Because I just realized there's some kind of forgotten history between us that forged this powerful connection that lead to us finding and going out with each other in this life."

"You think those memories were from a past life?" He asked a bit skeptical.

"Well they couldn't be from this one could they?"

Eren seemed to think about it for a moment before relenting that she was right.

Mikasa was just about to ask Eren what he'd seen when suddenly her insides caught fire as the scout cupped her face and stole a kiss before she could even move away. There was no repressed memories of a past life bursting to the surface this time but there was still that rush of fire and electricity that sent Mikasa's heart on a marathon.

It was only another brief peck, but this time Eren was certain that kissing Mikasa toped anything he'd ever done with any other female. She pulled away after a moment and opened her mouth to chastise him but he cut her off before she could find the words she was looking for.

"You said you wouldn't kiss me but you didn't say I couldn't kiss you. You kissed me first so it's only far I got my payback."

Mikasa took a moment to catch her regain her clarity of mind before she frowned.

"Please don't do that again Eren. It's not that I don't like kissing you or anything. It just feels like I'm way more attached to you than I should be considering we only meant a few days ago. I'd rather we take this slow than just jumping into things because it feels right."

"So it feels right?" Eren teased earning a smile and a poke in the stomach by Mikasa.

"Don't push your luck Yeager. You took my first kiss on our first date so I'm expecting something really special for the second."

"So we're dating now? Mikasa A student don't approach me Ackerman is the girlfriend of Eren the boogeyman get out of my way Yeager?"

Mikasa laughed at the names unable to find a way to make them anymore fitting.

"As long as you behave and continue to treat me nicely I don't see why not."

"Score! Guess who just hooked up with the hottest girl in school. Eren fucking Yeager."

Mikasa laughed again and shoved him playfully.

"I liked the first one better. Eren The Boogeyman get out of my way Yeager has a nice ring to it."

"So does Mikasa the A student don't approach me Ackerman. By the way were you serious about helping me with my homework?"

"Were you serious about letting me kick you in the ribs as payment?"

Eren grinned and wondered if the Mikasa in his memory with the cold edge to her voice acted the same as this one. "You might be my girlfriend now but I'm not really into foot play."

"Eren I'm so into foot play but won't admit it Yeager. That's probably why you wanted to take me out so badly. My foot must have felt heavenly inside your rib cage."

"Dream on Ackerman!" He said shoving her playfully which caused her to shove back. He returned the shove and before he knew what'd happened Mikasa tackled him to the ground again and began laughing as he groaned and complained about his back.

"Eren the old man Yeager." She said teasing not bothering to get up from where she sat straddling his stomach and sitting just above his waste. "I should be making my way home soon but I have a few more minutes. Do you want to go grab another slushie or something?"

Eren nodded his head and she stood up and offered a hand to help pull him to his feet. Once up he surprised her by taking her hand. Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach Mikasa smiled and the two walked towards the slushie station together sharing more of their lives with each other as the sun set behind them and the day of their first date drew towards it's end.

 **I don't know much about ultimate frisbee but thought it would be a fun activity to do on a date and Shy agreed with me so we put it in the chapter. If the game wasn't realistic don't flame me, I did my best. -Kasuf**

 **Shy:** Remember in chapter 2 when Kamori told Masani about her date with Eren?

 _"It's nothing mom, it's not like we're close or anything. He probably just wanted to ask me out so I'll agree to help him with his homework or something."_

 **Shy:** In the end she still ended up helping him with his homework of her own free will lol

 **Kasuf:** Yea that's love. I'm not offering to help anyone with their homework for free.

 **Alkabir:** What a charmer you are Kasuf, any woman would be lucky to have you.

 **Kasuf:** Luckier than they could ever know. / Don't take that sarcastic tone with me you ass.

 **Shy:** Moving onwards! Next chapter will pick up where this one left off. Sorry for updating so slowly but just know we'll definitely keep the chapters coming even if we pump them out slowly.

 **We hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for reading!**


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